A Unique Partnership
by lansingfan
Summary: Paul Blaisdell and Mary Margaret Skalany go undercover to bring down an illegal adoption ring.


**A Unique Partnership**

"Has anyone seen Peter?" Mary Margaret Skalany yelled, trying to make her voice heard over the customary chaos that dominated the bullpen.

Blake, who was sitting at his desk, looked up from some surveillance equipment he was working on. "I heard him tell the chief that he and Jody were leaving to run down a lead on the Mitchell case."

"Great," Skalany muttered and slammed her pen down. "That blows everything all to hell." She sat in silence for a long moment, then jumped to her feet as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "What about Kermit? Do you know where he is?"

Blake shrugged. "He's not at his desk, but I saw him in with the captain earlier this afternoon. You might want to check with him."

"Thanks, Blake, I'll do that," she said, and crossed the squad room to Blaisdell's office. She knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter.

"Come in," Paul's deep voice rumbled from the other side.

Mary Margaret pushed the door open just wide enough to stick her head inside the room. "Excuse me, Captain. I was looking for Kermit and wondered if you knew where he might be."

Blaisdell looked up from a report he was reading and smiled warmly at his detective. "Kermit had to take care of some personal business and won't be back until tomorrow. Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm not sure," Mary Margaret replied, stepping further into his office and closing the door behind her. "Peter agreed to help me on a case, but he and Jody got called out on another matter. I was going to ask Kermit to take over for him, but since he's unavailable that won't work either."

"Which case is it?" Paul asked as he removed his reading glasses and got up to get himself a cup of coffee.

"It's the illegal adoption ring we've been working on the last few months. I got an unexpected call from the agency a few minutes ago, and they want to meet with me and my husband this afternoon."

"Husband?" Blaisdell stopped in the middle of pouring coffee into his mug and glanced over at the dark-haired woman. Realization suddenly hit. "Let me guess. Peter?"

Skalany grinned. "Yes, and the meeting is supposed to take place in less than an hour. I'm afraid if I try to reschedule it that it will be cancelled altogether. I've waited a long time to get it set up and I don't want to lose this opportunity. It may be the only chance we ever have to get inside."

Paul pointed the coffee pot in her direction, then returned it to the burner when she shook her head. "Isn't there anyone else who can go with you?"

"No, I checked before I came in here. Outside of a couple of rookies pulling desk duty, the only men in the squad room right now are the chief, Blake, and Broderick. Frankly, sir, I don't think they're what the agency is expecting."

"Why? Do the people you're meeting with have some idea what your husband looks like?"

"No, not in the physical sense. They only know that he's very wealthy, and I think that would lead them to believe that he would be well-dressed and have a certain air of sophistication. Present company excluded, there's just not anyone here that fits that description."

Blaisdell rested one hip on the edge of the desk and sipped his coffee thoughtfully before finally speaking. "What about us? Do you think they'd buy us as a couple?"

The initial look of surprise that crossed Mary Margaret's face was almost immediately replaced by one of enthusiasm as she took in the sharp cut of Paul's well-tailored double-breasted suit and his distinguished features. "Yeah," she said, grinning at her boss. "I think they would."

"The age difference won't be a problem?"

"I wouldn't think so. I don't think they care about age as long as they get their money."

"Speaking of which, have you made any financial arrangements with them yet?" he asked.

"No, but at the initial meeting that I had with Mason Beckett, the attorney who set this all up, I made it clear that money wasn't an issue. Later, when I asked Peter to pose as my husband, he suggested that we get Kermit to create a credit history for us and set up a bogus account under our assumed names at one of the local banks. He wanted us to have that much taken care of so it would be in place when they called."

"Smart thinking," Paul commented, impressed by his son's ingenuity. "I assume Kermit was able to come through for you."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes. "You don't know the half of it," she replied. "Not only did he create a complete financial background for us, he also got us Social Security cards and fixed us up with fake IDs." She stopped suddenly, panic filling her eyes. "You obviously can't use Peter's ID, and we don't have time to get one made for you."

"Getting another ID won't be a problem," Blaisdell assured her. "I have an associate who specializes in that sort of thing," he said, but didn't elaborate any further. "His place is not far from here, and we can stop by and get one made on our way to the agency."

Mary Margaret glanced at her watch. "If he can have it ready in fifteen minutes that should give us just enough time to make the meeting."

"Then we'd better get going," Paul said. He set his coffee down and grabbed his overcoat. "We can take my car in order to keep up appearances, and you can fill me in on the rest of the details on the way over." He took her arm and escorted her out of the office. "It looks like you've just found yourself a new husband," he said, winking at her mischievously.

"Yeah, wait 'til my mother finds out I got married and didn't even invite her to the wedding," Mary Margaret said, laughing at the thought. "She'll never speak to me again."

**X X X X X**

"I'll get the discharge papers for you to sign and then you'll be all set to go," said the nurse cheerfully as she brought the wheelchair to a stop beside the bed of her young patient.

The girl, who wasn't much more than sixteen, looked at her with big brown eyes that were full of fear and uncertainty. "Already?" she asked, and then glanced over at her boyfriend. He was leaning against the wall on the other side of the bed fidgeting with the zipper of his leather jacket.

The nurse laughed. "That's usually not the reaction I get when I tell someone they're going home. Most people are happy to be getting out of here."

"It… it's only been three days. I just didn't think it would be this soon," she replied, and again looked over at the young man as if she expected him to say something.

As if on cue, he pushed himself off of the wall. "Look," he said, his hands still toying nervously with the zipper, "we've changed our minds. We want to keep the baby."

Exasperated by his announcement, she looked at the couple sternly. "I'm afraid that's not possible. You've already signed the release forms."

"Yeah, but isn't there some kind of waiting period or something before they're final?" he asked.

"No, there's not," she replied firmly. "The agreement is irrevocable. It was one of the conditions you agreed to when you came to this clinic. I know it's hard, but you have to think about what's best for your baby in the long run. The people who adopt him will be able to give him advantages the two of you could never provide."

"They might be able to give him more things than we can, but they won't love him as much as we do," argued the mother as she fought back tears.

The nurse patted her arm. "It's normal for you to feel this way, honey, but just give it some time. Once you've had a chance to think about it you'll realize you're making the right decision."

"I have thought about it," the girl insisted. She was crying openly now. Her boyfriend took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "When I signed those papers, I didn't know it would be so hard to give him up."

"Try to be logical about this," the older woman suggested. "You're still in the same situation you were in when you came here. You're both still in school. Neither one of you has a job. Babies are expensive, and you aren't in any position to support yourselves, let alone a child. You would both have to forfeit your education in order to take care of your son. You'll spend the rest of your lives working for minimum wage, barely making ends meet. What kind of life is that for you or your baby?"

No matter how much she tried, the young girl couldn't come up with a good argument as to why she should keep her baby. Everything the nurse had said was true, but it still didn't change how she felt. She was quiet for a long time while her heart argued with her head. Her heart won. "But I love him," she whispered finally.

The nurse wasn't about to relent. "If you love him, then do what's best for him. Let him grow up in a home with two parents who will love him and who can give him everything he needs."

"But…" the girl started to protest, then stopped when her boyfriend squeezed her hand.

"Can we talk to Dr. Gage?" he asked, realizing this wasn't getting them anywhere.

"Dr. Gage left this afternoon for a long weekend and won't be back until Monday."

"Ok, we'll talk to him when he gets back," he said, without any further argument. "If you'll bring the papers, we'll sign them and get out of here."

She smiled, obviously impressed by the young man's decision. "You're doing the right thing. I'll be back in just a minute with the papers."

The girl watched in despair as the nurse left the room, then turned to the young man who was still holding her hand. "How could you just give up like that, Jake?" she asked with an anguished cry.

"Shh, Kim," he said, trying his best to soothe her. He sat down on the bed and took her in his arms. "I'm not giving up. There's just not anything else we can do right now. But I swear to you, if it's the last thing I do, I'll get our baby back."

**X X X X X**

After stopping long enough to pick up Paul's ID, Blaisdell and Skalany sped towards their destination in Paul's sleek black Mercedes. Mary Margaret couldn't help but be impressed by the car, and spent the first few minutes of the drive reveling in the luxury of the soft leather seats. She stared out the window and wondered how the captain could afford this kind of vehicle on his salary. The possibility that he was on the take never even entered her mind. She knew from both her personal dealings with him and from his reputation that he was a man of irrefutable honesty and integrity. She finally concluded that he either came from a wealthy family, or there was some truth to the rumors that periodically swirled around the precinct that he worked as a spy for the CIA. She made a mental note to try to wheedle some information about his background out of Peter the next time they worked a stakeout together.

Paul cast a sidelong glance at his passenger. "Having second thoughts?" he asked, not quite sure what to make of her prolonged silence.

The question startled her, snapping her out of her reverie, and she straightened herself up in the seat. "No, none at all," she replied. "Why? Are you?" she asked, suddenly worried that he had changed his mind and was going to call the whole operation off.

"No, but it's your case and you know the people we're dealing with better than I do. You've put a lot of hours in on this and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize all of your hard work. If you're having any doubts at all, we can turn back now and you can try to arrange another meeting with them when Peter's available."

Mary Margaret didn't even consider the suggestion. "I made a big point of letting Beckett know how badly I wanted a child. I'm afraid if I put them off, it will arouse their suspicions and I'll never hear from them again."

"Okay," Paul agreed, satisfied that she was confident the plan would work. "So, tell me about our personal background. I generally like to know a little bit about the person I'm married to," he said, a look of amusement crossing his features.

Mary Margaret let out a sigh of relief when he raised no further objections. "Well, we're Alexander and Jane Daniels. We've been married for five years, and have been trying to get pregnant for the last three without any success. We recently found out that you're sterile and we're desperate to adopt."

Blaisdell chuckled. "Was this all Peter's idea?"

"Actually it was mine," Mary Margaret corrected. "Peter wanted to make it so that it was my fault that we couldn't conceive."

"That sounds like Peter. I'm surprised he gave in so easily."

"He didn't, but I told him that since it was my case I could handle it the way I wanted to. He kept bugging me about it and I finally told him that if he didn't drop it I was going to tell them he was impotent."

Paul laughed. "I bet that shut him up."

"Real fast," she replied, smiling to herself as she remembered the look on Peter's face when she had made that threat.

"What else does Beckett know about our background other than our names and our fertility problems?"

"That's about it. I tried to be as vague as possible and not give him too much information. He asked me a few questions about what kind of child we were interested in adopting – sex, race, special needs, things like that. I told him we would prefer a Caucasian boy, but it didn't matter as long as the baby was healthy. After we discussed that, he was mostly interested in our financial status. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree when I told him you were a successful business consultant with clients all over the world, and that money would be no object."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Paul said, already disgusted with the attorney's greed. "Are you sure you didn't mention your husband's age or describe any of his physical features? I don't want to blow our cover before we even get started."

"I'm positive," Mary Margaret replied. "He didn't ask me to fill out any paperwork, and the only other personal information I gave him was my cell phone number."

"Good work. It sounds like you covered all the bases," he said. "How did you find out about this agency anyway? Did someone file a complaint against them?"

"No, not officially. Rachel Spears, an acquaintance of mine from church, told me about them. She's young and unmarried, and is working two jobs to support herself. A year and a half ago she got pregnant, and her boyfriend dumped her when she told him the news. Since she didn't have anyone to help her with the baby, she decided to put it up for adoption."

"And she couldn't go through with it," Paul guessed.

"Right," Skalany confirmed. "She said when she delivered the baby she realized she couldn't give it up, even though she had already signed a contract relinquishing her legal rights to the child."

"What happened when she tried to get out of the agreement?"

"The agency refused to let her see the baby after she gave birth. They told her they had already placed it and wouldn't give her any information on the people who adopted it. Rachel told me that she tried to call the police from her hospital room, but the phone suddenly wouldn't work."

"That was convenient," Paul muttered.

"Oh, it gets better," Mary Margaret said. "When she was discharged, she told the head of the adoption agency, a woman named Victoria Talbott, that she would be back the next day with her attorney. Well, that night, someone broke into Rachel's apartment and attacked her. The assailant beat the hell out of her and told her if she opened her mouth about her baby – to the cops or anyone else – that she was dead. She was too scared to go to the police, but she did eventually tell our priest what happened. He suggested that she talk to me about it, and I met with her about eight months ago. After talking to Rachel, I went to the chief and he gave me the green light to open an investigation into the agency."

"Did you find anything suspicious?" Blaisdell asked.

"Not a thing," she said. "They were as clean as a whistle. They were licensed and had never had one complaint brought against them."

"Yeah, no wonder," he remarked. "Nobody is going to complain too much when they're being threatened."

"Exactly. Which makes me wonder how many other times something like this has happened."

They were nearing the agency's location, and Paul changed lanes and made a right turn into the parking lot of a well-landscaped office complex. "This is it," he said, his eyes scanning the lot for an empty parking space. "Do you have any idea what to expect once we get inside?"

"Not really," she replied. "I'm guessing they just want to look us over, try to get a feel for us. If we meet their criteria, whatever it is, I'm sure their primary concern will be making the financial arrangements."

Paul nodded his agreement. "I guess we'll just have to play it by ear. I think it's crucial that we continue not to volunteer too much information. Let them take the lead, and we'll follow along."

"Just answer their questions as succinctly as possible, like I did with Beckett," she said.

"Right." He pulled into an available space and cut the engine, then took a deep breath and looked over at Mary Margaret. "Ready, partner?" he asked.

She reached into her purse and took out a gold wedding band that she had picked up when she realized she would need one for this charade. She slipped it on the ring finger of her left hand. "Ready," she replied, and got out of the car.

**X X X X X**

The adoption agency was located on the first floor of the large office complex. Blaisdell held the door open for Skalany and they entered the building at precisely 5:30pm. The outer office was spacious and tastefully decorated in rich earth tones and leather furniture that Paul bet must have cost a fortune. The room was empty except for a lone receptionist who was sitting behind a desk working at her computer. She was dressed in a conservative navy business suit and a white blouse. She appeared to be in her early forties, had short brown hair, and wore glasses. Paul guessed that she wasn't much more than five feet tall, and she looked so timid that he wondered if she would die from fright if he spoke to her in a loud voice. She stopped typing and looked up from the monitor as they approached her desk.

"G-good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Daniels," she stuttered. Her voice was so small that they had to strain to hear what she said. She paused long enough to give them an opportunity to return the pleasantry, which they did, and to offer them coffee, which they declined. "Ms. Talbott is on a conference call but will be with you shortly," she informed them. She reached into one of her desk drawers, took out some papers, which she attached to a clipboard, and handed them to Paul. "P-please have a seat," she said, indicating a row of chairs against the far wall. "If you will fill out these forms and return them to me once you finish, Ms. Talbott should be available to meet with you then."

It took nearly half an hour for them to complete the paperwork. It included both basic questions about their background and more detailed queries about their finances. The simple ones they answered without any trouble – they had decided beforehand what information to use, including Blaisdell's home address and phone number. The financial questions were a little more complicated, but Mary Margaret was able to answer those based on the history Kermit had created for them.

Less than ten minutes after they had returned the forms to the receptionist, one of two doors along the opposite wall opened and a well-dressed woman stepped out. She was tall and elegant and had the figure of a fashion model. She could have been attractive, but her high cheekbones and the way she wore her blonde hair pulled back off of her face gave her a rather harsh appearance.

"Hello," she said, and offered them a polite smile, which did little to relax her features. She perfunctorily shook hands with each of them, and, as was the case with her smile, there was no warmth in her touch. "I'm Victoria Talbott. Let's go inside, shall we? Lynn, please hold all of my calls."

Paul and Mary Margaret went into the room ahead of her, and Victoria joined them after she closed the door. "Please, have a seat," she said and pointed to two chairs that were located opposite her desk. She settled into her own chair behind the desk and opened up a file.

"Based on your meeting with Mr. Beckett, he has completed his preliminary report and recommended you to our agency," she said, referring to the attorney Skalany had met with several months ago. "We can begin the adoption process today, and as long as your background information checks out, I don't foresee any problems in completing the adoption. That is, as long as you are still interested."

"Oh, yes," Mary Margaret gushed. She reached out and took Paul's hand and squeezed it tightly. "We can't wait to have a child."

"Good," Victoria nodded, obviously pleased with her enthusiasm. She directed her attention to Paul. "Mr. Daniels, I have to admit that I was a bit concerned about your commitment to this process when Mr. Beckett informed me that you weren't at the initial meeting."

"I'm completely committed," Paul replied, the seriousness of his tone leaving no room for doubt. "I had every intention of being at that meeting, but got called away to Europe on business on short notice. Jane and I were so anxious to get things started that we decided she should meet with Mr. Beckett without me."

Victoria seemed satisfied with his answer. "I can understand your impatience," she sympathized, "particularly since you've spent four years trying to have a baby."

"Three," Paul corrected her, remembering that Skalany had specifically told the attorney they had been trying to conceive for three years. After seeing the calculated manner in which Victoria operated, he had no doubt that she was deliberately testing him.

"Three, of course," she said, and smiled that cold smile that seemed to lower the temperature of the room a couple of degrees every time she flashed it. "Well, your wait may soon be over. A young woman who has been in contact with us about putting her baby up for adoption gave birth a few days ago, and she wants us to place the baby as soon as possible. Since the infant met your two main specifications – healthy and Caucasian – and you were next on our waiting list, we contacted you immediately."

"Did she have a boy or a girl?" Mary Margaret asked excitedly.

"A boy," Victoria replied.

"Oh, a little boy!" Skalany squealed, and gripped Blaisdell's hand even harder, playing her role as the new mother to the hilt.

Victoria smiled at her exuberance, and this time the expression seemed genuine. "I take it that's what you were hoping for?"

"It didn't really matter to me, but I think deep down Alex wanted a son," she replied, and looked over at her husband affectionately.

"Most fathers do," Victoria agreed.

"I would have been happy with either, but I'll admit that having a son is something I've always wanted," Paul said with a grin. He paused for a moment and then continued. "Will we have access to the parents' and baby's medical records?" he asked. "I would like to know something about their histories."

"Certainly," Victoria replied. "I'll have them for you at our next meeting, and you can look them over before we finalize. There is one thing you need to be aware of before we go any further though. The baby weighed almost nine pounds, and since he was so big the birth mother had to have a C-section. As Mr. Beckett informed your wife, an extra 10,000 is required in such cases in order to cover the cost of the operation. Will coming up with the additional funds be a problem?"

"No, not at all," Paul said. He would bet his last dollar that the agency told all of their clients that each baby was born via Caesarian, whether it was or not, in order to get more money out of them. "Money isn't really an issue for us. My biggest concern is whether there is any chance the mother will change her mind, or that the father will try to get custody later on. I don't want us to get attached to this baby, and then six months down the road have someone try to take him away from us."

"I assure you that will not happen, Mr. Daniels," Victoria replied. "We've been placing babies for more than ten years and have never once been involved in any kind of legal dispute like the one you are describing. Our agency works closely with a clinic here in the city, and they provide extensive counseling for all of the mothers who are considering adoption. They also have attorneys who come in and explain everything from a legal standpoint. The parents are not allowed to sign any documents until they have received that counseling and legal advice. They are fully aware that when they sign the papers that their decision is irrevocable."

"Besides, we don't become involved in cases where the parents are having doubts about giving up their baby. In this situation, the mother is a sixteen-year-old girl who got pregnant by her boyfriend. They both knew they weren't emotionally or financially ready or able to raise a child. Since the girl and her family are devout Catholics, abortion wasn't an option, and they decided that putting the baby up for adoption was the best solution. The child's father, who made it clear from the very beginning that he didn't want the responsibility, was only too happy to sign the papers. Do you have any other questions?" she asked.

"No, I think that covers everything," Paul replied. He looked at Mary Margaret. "What about you, darling?"

"Just one," she replied, smiling broadly. "When do we get to take him home?"

"If everything checks out, you can take him home tomorrow," Victoria replied.

"That soon?" Skalany asked.

"Yes, the mother has already been discharged from the hospital and we don't like to leave the baby without a home any longer than we have to. We prefer that it bond with his new parents as soon as possible," she explained. "All that's left is the final background check, and so much information is available on computers now that it doesn't take long to complete it. Lynn and I will get started on it after dinner, and have it finished either tonight or first thing in the morning." She eyed the couple with just the slightest hint of suspicion. "Besides, I thought you'd be thrilled to finally have the baby since you've waited so long for one."

"Oh, we are," Mary Margaret replied. "I just didn't think it would happen this fast."

"Then that should just about wrap everything up," Victoria said and closed the file. "In addition to the money, we'll need copies of your birth certificates, marriage license, and social security cards for our records. Will 10:00 tomorrow be a convenient time for you to bring that in and pick up your son?"

"Yes, that will be fine," Paul replied, and he and Mary Margaret stood up.

"Good. I'll have the baby's medical records here so you can look them over before we finalize everything," she said. She got up and walked around her desk to shake hands with the couple once again. "Congratulations, and I'll see you in the morning."

**X X X X X**

Victoria watched from her office window as Alexander Daniels put a protective arm around his wife as they walked across the near-empty parking lot. She was joined at the window by J.D. Crawford, who had been monitoring the meeting from equipment housed in the adjoining room. J.D. had been with her since she founded the agency, and was incredibly loyal. He handled whatever needed handling without asking any questions, and he knew how to keep his mouth shut. He was rewarded very well for his devotion.

"They make an attractive couple, don't they?" Victoria mused out loud, not really expecting an answer. "Mr. Daniels looks very familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen him before. Do you recognize him?"

J.D. watched carefully as the couple got into a black Mercedes. "No, but I didn't get a good look at him. Isn't he some kind of successful businessman?"

Victoria nodded. "Very successful."

"Those guys are on the news all the time," he shrugged, obviously unconcerned. "That's probably where you've seen him."

"Maybe," she replied, still unable to shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. That instinct had served her well over the years and she wasn't about to ignore it now. "J.D., I want you to follow them. See where they go and what they do. Watch them for the rest of this evening and then come back and give me a full report."

"Yes ma'am," he replied and hurried out of the office before they got too much of a head start.

**X X X X X**

The Sullivan Fertility Clinic was located on the outskirts of the city on a secluded lot that sat well off the road. Huge oak and maple trees were scattered across the pristine grounds, giving the facility an appearance of security and privacy. As its name suggested, the clinic specialized in fertility matters, and offered such services as in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, and other methods designed to help couples conceive a child. It also discreetly handled a number of private adoptions each year.

The clinic closed at precisely 5:00, with the exception of the small maternity ward, which was located on the first floor of the building. It remained open until 9:00, giving family members an opportunity to visit with new mothers and their babies. Despite the higher cost of the exclusive clinic, some women opted to have their children there instead of at a hospital. It offered several advantages that most traditional hospitals either couldn't or wouldn't provide, including alternative childbirth methods.

Jake Reed prowled restlessly outside the main entrance. He had spent the last few hours formulating a plan to get his son back, and was going over the details one last time in his head. Having spent most of the last three days with Kimberly at the clinic, he had learned the routine of the staff pretty well. He knew that the babies were in with their mothers from 7:00 until 9:00 each evening. During that time, several of the nurses went on their break. In order to make the most of that opportunity, Jake entered the clinic at a little past 7:00, walking in like he still had every right to be there. A lone pink lady, one that he had seen numerous times over the last few days, was on duty at the front desk. She apparently did not realize that Kimberly had already been discharged because she didn't question his presence. Instead, she greeted him with a warm smile, which he returned, and then he made his way back to the nursery. The corridors were pretty much deserted, and the few people who were there didn't give him a second glance. He stopped at the window where the babies were on display and peered through the glass. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that his son was still there and was sleeping soundly in his crib.

After checking the hall one more time, Jake walked to the nurses' station, ready to put his plan into motion. An older RN named Ophelia, the nurse who had been with Kim when she had delivered, was on duty. She was making notes in a chart and looked up when Jake approached the desk.

"Hi, Jake," she said, and then frowned. "I thought Kim was discharged this afternoon."

"She was, but she can't find her purse and thinks she might have left it here. Do you know if anyone has found it?"

"No, not that I know of," she said. She looked under and around the desk. "I don't see it here, but let me check with Pam and see if she knows anything about it."

As soon as she left, Jake slipped unnoticed into the small kitchen located just off the nurses' station. He quickly grabbed the newspaper and a handful of paper towels and took them over to the sink. Retrieving a lighter from the pocket of his jacket, he set the paper towels on fire and then hurried to the nursery in search of Ophelia.

"I smell smoke," he said as he burst into the room. "I think it's coming from the kitchen."

"Oh my God," Ophelia said, and she and Pam both ran out of the nursery. Jake followed them for a few steps, then turned back and went into the room they had just vacated. Knowing he didn't have much time, he snatched his son from his crib and quickly made his way out of the maternity ward.

Not wanting to attract any unwanted attention by running, Jake forced himself to work his way down the hallway at a normal pace. His heart was pounding in his chest as he headed for the back entrance, the one that led to the staff parking lot. Terrified that at any moment someone would come after him, he looked back over his shoulder a couple of times to make sure he wasn't being followed, but no one gave him a second look. After what seemed like hours, he finally reached his destination. Letting out a huge sigh of relief as he opened the door and stepped out into the cool night air, he gave his son a gentle squeeze and secured the blanket tightly around his tiny body. In his haste to make his way across the parking lot to his car, he failed to notice a well-dressed man getting out of a silver Lexus.

"Jake?"

Startled, Jake spun around and found himself face to face with Dr. Julian Gage, administrator of the clinic and the obstetrician who had delivered his son.

**X X X X X**

"There's a black Jeep Cherokee about three cars back that's been following us ever since we left the agency," Paul noted as he looked in the rear view mirror.

"Damn!" Mary Margaret said viciously. She resisted the urge to turn around and take a look for herself, and then slumped back into her seat. "The meeting went so well. I don't understand why they would be suspicious. Do you think they're on to us?"

"Maybe," Paul replied as he changed lanes and checked the mirror again. The Jeep kept its distance but imitated the move. "Or maybe they're just making sure we're who we said we were."

"Well, whatever the reason, going back to the precinct is definitely out of the question. What do you think we should do now?"

Paul drove in silence for a few minutes, periodically checking the mirror, as he formulated a plan. "For the sake of argument, let's just assume that the reason they're following us is to make sure our story checks out. If that's the case, then the most logical thing we can do is go home."

"Yeah," Mary Margaret agreed, "but where's home?"

"We can use my house," he replied. "It's probably along the lines of what they're expecting, and it's empty. Annie's in Arizona visiting her sister, and Kelly is over at Carolyn's. I was supposed to meet them there for dinner, but I'll call and tell them I can't make it. I'll also ask Kelly to spend the night just to be on the safe side."

"Good idea," Skalany said, nodding her approval. "What about the house? Do you think they'll run a check on the address?"

Paul shrugged. "It's hard to say, but I'll call Kermit as soon as we get there and see if he can hack into the city's records. He'll need to change the name on the deed, and I'll also ask him to change the information in the DMV's files in case they run a check on the license plate."

Satisfied that they had covered all the bases, they drove the rest of the way in silence. Paul kept a close eye on the vehicle behind them, while Mary Margaret stayed preoccupied wondering what they had done to arouse their suspicions enough to put a tail on them.

It was after 7:00 when they finally reached the house. Paul parked the Mercedes in the garage and Mary Margaret followed him inside. "Come on in and make yourself comfortable," he said as he flipped on the lights and shrugged out of his overcoat. He helped her with her coat then hung both garments in the closet. "I've got to make those calls. Why don't you order us a pizza or something? When I finish up, we'll eat and discuss our strategy for tomorrow."

"That sounds good," she agreed, the mention of food making her realize how hungry she was. "What do you want on the pizza?"

"Anything but anchovies," he said, and then disappeared down the hallway to his study. Once inside, he switched on the lights and removed his suit jacket and tie. He sank down in the leather chair behind his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed a number from memory.

A woman's familiar voice answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hello, Marilyn," he said, returning the greeting. "I apologize for interrupting Mitch's party, but I need to speak to Kermit."

"Sure, Paul, just a minute and I'll get him for you," she replied without hesitation, knowing Blaisdell wouldn't disturb her brother during a family celebration unless it was important.

As Paul waited for Kermit to come to the phone, he could hear a myriad of festive sounds in the background, a clear indication that the party was in full swing. Several seconds later Kermit's voice came across the line. "Hello?"

"Sorry to bother you, Kermit, but I need your help on a case."

"Which one?"

"Do you remember the illegal adoption agency that Skalany is investigating?"

"Vaguely. I set up a bogus financial history for her and Peter at John Durham's bank, and fixed them up with some fake paperwork. That's about all I know about it though. What's up?"

"The agency called and wanted to meet with them this afternoon. Peter was out on another case, and you had already left the precinct so I volunteered to be her husband."

Kermit couldn't help but laugh. "Does Annie know about this?"

"No, but considering these people are stealing babies and selling them to the highest bidder, I think she'll be pretty understanding about it."

"Oh, yeah," Kermit agreed. "Seeing people being taken advantage of, especially when it has anything to do with little kids, does tend to tick her off. I don't like it much myself. What do you want me to do to help you nail these bastards?"

"I need for you to make a couple of changes on those documents you fixed up. Alexander Daniels should match my physical description instead of Peter's," he said, starting with the obvious. "Also, someone from the agency has been tailing us. We drove to my house to make our relationship look legitimate so you'll need to change whatever address you initially used to my home address."

"Ok, what else?"

Paul didn't even hesitate with his next request, even though technically he was asking an officer under his command to break the law, a law they'd both sworn to uphold. He believed there were some situations where the end justified the means, and, in his mind, this was certainly one of them. "I need for you to hack into the city's records and change the name on the deed to my house to Alexander and Jane Daniels. The same information needs to be changed on the Mercedes in the DMV files, and in the phone company's records, too. I doubt if they'll go that far, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. And, Kermit, I need it done as fast as possible. Will it be a problem?"

"Are you kidding?" Kermit scoffed. "That's kindergarten stuff. It's not like you're asking me to break into the Pentagon's files or something."

Blaisdell chuckled. He figured Kermit could probably get into those if he really wanted to. "Do you have any idea how long it will take?"

"I have my laptop out in the car. Give me thirty minutes and I'll get back to you."

"Thanks, Kermit. I owe you one."

"Yeah, and don't think I'll let you forget it, either."

"You never have before," Paul replied. "Wish Mitch a happy birthday for me, ok?"

"Will do," Kermit replied and hung up.

As soon as he got a dial tone, Paul punched in another set of numbers.

"McCall residence," Kelly Blaisdell said, answering her sister's phone.

Paul's face lit up at the sound of his youngest daughter's voice. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Dad, you're late," she informed him, as if he didn't already know it. "Carolyn's going crazy trying to keep the food warm. If you don't get here soon, I'm not sure I can guarantee your safety when you do make it. She fixed chocolate cake for dessert just for you, and she's already threatened to kill you if you're not here to eat it."

Paul closed his eyes and sighed, hating to miss out on the dinner that they had gone to so much trouble to prepare. "Baby, I'm sorry. Something's come up and I'm not going to be able to make it."

"You mean not at all?" she asked, unable to hide her disappointment.

"I'm afraid not."

Despite the number of times her father's job had caused him to miss dinner over the years, Kelly never really got used to it. She sighed. "Okay. I'll see you later tonight when you get home."

"Actually, Kel, I need you to stay overnight at Carolyn's."

"But, Dad…" she started to protest, but he cut her off.

"I can't really get into it right now, but I'm using the house as a cover and it would work out better if you weren't here tonight. You have some things over there that you can wear for tomorrow, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Good. Call me at the precinct tomorrow after your last class to make sure it's all right to come to the house. Don't you or Carolyn either one come here without checking with me first."

"Okay, Dad," she agreed without any further argument, recognizing the serious tone of his voice. "Whatever you're doing, please be careful."

Paul smiled. "I will. Tell Carolyn I'm sorry about dinner, and I'll talk to you both tomorrow."

"All right, but I wouldn't expect any chocolate cake for awhile," she warned, then added, "I love you."

"I love you, too, honey. Good night."

**X X X X X**

"The nurse said you were out of town. What are you doing here?" Jake asked. He realized how stupid he sounded, but wasn't able to keep the question from coming out.

"I suppose I could ask you the same thing," Dr. Gage replied, eyeing the baby in Jake's arms with great interest.

Jake saw the man staring at his son and instinctively held the infant closer. "I've come to get my son, and you can't stop me," the young man replied with a boldness he certainly didn't feel.

The doctor looked genuinely confused. "What makes you think I'd try to stop you?"

"We told the nurse before we left this afternoon that we had changed our minds and wanted to keep the baby. She said we couldn't because we had signed the adoption papers and they were final. I did some research at the library this afternoon, and from what I read I think we can keep him. I'm going to see a lawyer about it tomorrow."

"That's a good idea, Jake," the doctor agreed. "You should know all of your rights in this situation. I'm just disappointed you felt you had to resort to kidnapping.

"Kidnapping?" Jake repeated incredulously. "Your nurse is the one who wouldn't let us take our baby home. This is my son, and until a judge tells me otherwise, I'm going to keep him!"

"Shh, just calm down," Gage said in a soothing voice. "This is all just a misunderstanding. If I had known you and Kimberly had changed your minds about giving the baby up for adoption, I would have never let you leave the hospital without him."

Every instinct he had was telling him not to trust he doctor, but Jake felt himself being drawn in by the older man's conciliatory tone, and by the fact that he wanted so desperately to believe what he said. "So we can keep him?"

"Certainly."

"You mean tonight?"

"If that's what you want. All we have to do is meet with the lawyer who handled the adoption so you can sign the papers revoking the agreement."

"Is he in this late?" Jake asked skeptically.

Gage took out the cell phone that was hooked to his belt. "Let me check," he said as he punched in a set of numbers. "He's a good friend of mine so I'm sure he'll accommodate us if he can."

Several seconds later, Julian heard Victoria Talbott's voice on the other end of the line. "Mason!" he said, as he pretended to talk to his attorney. "I was hoping I'd catch you before you left the office."

"What the _hell _are you doing calling me Mason?" Victoria hissed.

Gage ignored her question and continued his charade, making sure he talked loud enough so that Jake could hear every word he said. "There's been a change in the adoption we had set up for the Reed baby," he informed her. "The parents have decided they want to keep him."

For a long moment, Victoria was too stunned to speak. When she finally managed to find her voice, it was low and deadly. "I don't know what the fuck is going on, Julian, but Alexander and Jane Daniels just left my office a little while ago. They are bringing in 50,000 tomorrow morning, and when they come in to pick up their baby, I damn well better have one to give them. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh, yeah, I told them it wouldn't be a problem," he said. "We'll have this straightened out in no time."

"See that you do," she said. "I shouldn't have to remind you of the consequences if this falls through." She slammed the phone down before he could reply.

"Ok, we'll stop by in a few minutes." Julian continued to talk as though someone was still on the line. "I really appreciate you doing this for me, Mason. Lunch is one me next week." He paused for a moment, then flipped his phone shut and smiled reassuringly at Jake. "See, I told you I'd take care of it." He unlocked the Lexus with the remote device located on the key ring and opened the door. "Come on, he's waiting for us at his office."

Jake hesitated for just a moment, then, despite his better judgment, got into the car with Julian and they sped off into the night.

**X X X X X**

Paul found Mary Margaret in the living room admiring a long row of family pictures that lined the mantel. "Kermit said he'd take care of it," he informed her as he stepped into the room. "He sounded insulted when I asked him if it would be a problem."

"Yeah, I bet he did," she chuckled as she imagined Kermit's reaction to Blaisdell's question. Her eyes drifted back to the photographs that had captured her attention. The shots depicted some of the most memorable moments in the family's history. Among them were pictures of Carolyn and Todd on their wedding day, Kelly in her cap and gown, a teen-aged Peter in his hockey uniform holding a trophy that proclaimed him MVP, and one of Paul and Peter, both wearing their dress uniforms, at Peter's graduation from the Police Academy. Skalany came to the picture at the end of the row and picked it up. It was of a younger Paul and Annie, and they were standing near a cliff that overlooked the ocean. The sun was setting in the horizon, and streaks of purple and red blazed across the sky in a brilliant display of color. They were both dressed in white, and Annie was holding a bouquet of tropical flowers. They were facing each other, and Paul was looking at Annie with an intensity that Mary Margaret had never seen before. It was an expression that went beyond love and made for one of the most beautiful photographs she had ever seen. "Where was this taken?"

"In Maui on our wedding day," Paul said. His craggy features softened as he took the picture from her and ran his fingers lightly, almost reverently, across the frame. "We got married there almost twenty-two years ago. It seems just like yesterday," he said, shaking his head. He studied the picture with a far away look in his eyes, almost as if he was reliving the moment. "I never thought I could love her more than I did that day. I was wrong."

"Was there a particular reason you chose Hawaii?" Skalany asked.

He shrugged. "Annie loves the ocean. Even though she can't see it, she can hear the waves and feel the breeze and smell the salt in the air. She thinks it's the most incredible place she's ever been. When we started talking about what kind of wedding we wanted to have, we both agreed we didn't want anything elaborate. I wanted to make it something special for her though, so, knowing how much she loved the ocean, I called John Steadman, a mutual friend of ours, and asked if we could have the ceremony at his place in Maui. He was the one who introduced us, so it just seemed right to have it there."

"That is so sweet, Captain. You couldn't have picked a more appropriate or romantic place."

Paul smiled. "Yeah, well, don't tell everybody at the precinct what a softie I am. I don't want to ruin my image."

"Don't worry, sir, your secret is safe with me."

Paul took one last look at the photograph and then put it back on the mantel. "I'll fix us a drink while we're waiting on the pizza," he said as he walked over to the wet bar and took out two glasses. "What can I get for you?"

"Scotch on the rocks, please," Mary Margaret replied, and was in the process of crossing the room to join him when something outside caught her attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a darkly clad figure creep across the deck and slip into the shadows. Without giving any indication that she had seen anything out of the ordinary, she made her way over to Blaisdell, who was standing with his back to her putting ice into the glasses.

"Captain," she said, standing on her tip-toes in order to whisper directly into his ear. "I just saw a man outside. He's out on the deck, and I think he's still watching us."

Paul stiffened slightly but refrained from looking out the French doors. "It's probably the same guy who was following us," he said, and continued to fix their drinks. "Was he trying to break in?"

"No, he was just watching us."

"Sounds like he's been sent for surveillance," he sighed. He pushed the drinks aside and turned to face Mary Margaret. "We'd better give him something to see. Help me make this look good, ok?"

Before she could ask him what he had in mind, he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately.

**X X X X X**

It only took a split second for Mary Margaret to realize what Blaisdell was doing. After the initial shock, she relaxed into his embrace, put her arms around him, and responded to the kiss with an intensity that equaled his. When they finally broke apart, anyone who had been watching them would believe without a doubt that they were lovers.

"There. I think that should convince them we're really married, don't you?" Paul asked.

"Definitely," Mary Margaret agreed, still a little breathless. Suddenly self-conscious of the compromising position they were in, she slipped out of his arms and walked over to the fireplace. "I just hope Annie doesn't kill us both," she muttered as her eyes drifted up to the mantel and to the picture of Paul and Annie on their wedding day.

"She won't," Paul assured her. "There were extenuating circumstances, and it didn't mean anything to either one of us. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, but it was a perfect opportunity to convince whoever is out there watching us that we're really married. I didn't think we could afford to pass it up."

"We couldn't," she agreed. "It was a great strategy, and I think you made the right decision. I just don't want it to cause any problems in your marriage."

"It _won't_," Paul repeated emphatically. He joined her at the fireplace, put his hands on her shoulders, and turned her around to face him. "I don't want you to feel guilty about what just happened."

She looked up at him. "Do you?" she asked.

Before he could answer, the doorbell rang, causing both of them to jump. "There's the pizza," he said, and turned to answer the door.

"Wait!" She caught him by the arm before he could leave the room. "You've got lipstick on your mouth," she said, and reached up and wiped it off with the tips of her fingers.

"Thanks," he replied, and went to pay the delivery boy.

**X X X X X**

Dr. Julian Gage maneuvered his silver Lexus through the late evening traffic with the skill of a NASCAR driver. They had already bypassed the business district and were now headed out of the city. They had been driving for about twenty minutes, and Jake was becoming more paranoid with each passing moment. All of the amenities that the luxury car afforded did little to dispel his unease. The baby, who had apparently picked up on his father's agitation, began to fuss. The infant's cries strained Jake's already frayed nerves even more.

"How much longer?" he asked, gritting his teeth as he tried to calm his crying son.

Gage's eyes drifted to the clock on the dashboard. "Not much longer. It's just a few more minutes until we reach the exit." He glanced over at his passenger. "What's wrong? You seem nervous."

"Nothing," Jake muttered and shifted the baby in his arms, hoping a different position would pacify his squalling son. "It's just that I told Kimberly I wouldn't be gone long and I don't want her to worry. Can I use your phone to call her and let her know where I am?"

"Sure, but I doubt if you can pick up a signal all the way out here."

For the first time, Jake noticed that they were getting close to the mountains that bordered the city on the west. "Where the hell are we? I thought we were going to your lawyer's office."

"Will you relax?" Gage instructed, as he exited the highway. He took a right turn off of the ramp onto a two-lane road that led into the woods. "My attorney has a cabin up here that he uses as an office when he's preparing for a big court case. He's got an important trial coming up in a few days and he's been working up here all week to get ready for it. He had his secretary fax the appropriate papers to him, and said he'd have them ready for you to sign by the time we arrive."

"Ok," Jake said. He finally managed to get the baby calmed down, and settled back into the seat exhausted. "I just want to get this over with."

Julian looked over at him and smiled. "Don't worry. It will all be over before you know it."

Five minutes later, they turned onto a gravel road that led deeper into the woods. The cabins that dotted the landscape now became fewer and farther apart. Considering how remote the area was, the road was in pretty good condition, and Gage didn't have any trouble navigating the Lexus across the terrain. He finally stopped the car in front of an isolated two-story log home with a wrap-around front porch.

Jake took one look at the cabin and immediately became suspicious again. The driveway was empty, and there wasn't a single light on in the entire place. The anxiety he had been fighting to control ever since he got in the car with Dr. Gage returned in full force, and he felt a sudden chill creep up his spine. "This place is empty," he said, his voice rising in a combination of fear and anger. "What the hell are you trying to pull, Gage?"

"Nothing, and I'm getting tired of all this goddamn suspicion," the doctor snapped. He turned to face his passenger. "I've gone out of my way to help you out tonight, and all you've given me in return is a lot of grief. For your information, Mason had a dinner engagement and he said if we didn't catch him before he left that he'd leave the papers on his desk. Satisfied?"

"Yeah, sorry," Jake mumbled, feeling stupid for having jumped to the wrong conclusion. "It's just that this is taking longer than I planned. The baby's supposed to eat in thirty minutes, and Kimberly will freak if I don't show up soon."

The apology seemed to soothe Gage. "Forget it," he said. "I know this is a stressful situation, but we'll get the paperwork taken care of and you can take your son home, ok?"

Jake nodded. He tucked the sleeping baby securely against his chest, and started to get out of the car.

"Why don't you leave him in the back seat?" Gage suggested. "It's freezing out there and newborns are particularly susceptible to lung infections. If he gets a cold, it could easily turn into pneumonia."

Even though Jake was reluctant to let his son out of his sight, he didn't want to risk his health. They got the baby settled securely in the back of the car, and then Gage led the way to the cabin with Jake following closely behind him. They climbed the three steps that led up to the porch, and Jake waited while Gage fished a set of keys out of his pocket. The doctor selected a key and inserted it into the lock, but it didn't work. He removed it and tried another one with the same results.

"Damn," he muttered. "Mason must have changed the lock and forgot to give me a new key."

It was the last straw for Jake. "You mean to tell me you dragged me all the way up here and now we can't even get in?" he asked in a barely controlled voice. Disgusted, he turned around and started to stomp off the porch.

Gage grabbed him by the arm before he could get very far. "Will you wait just a minute?" he demanded. "Mason usually keeps a spare key on one of the ledges above the windows. I don't think I can reach it, but since you're taller than I am you might be able to get it."

Jake jerked loose from the doctor's grip. "Where is it?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Over here," Gage replied and led him across the porch to a set of full-length windows that reached almost all the way from the top of the porch down to the floor. Jake stood up on his tip-toes and stretched his right hand up as far as it would go. His fingers were just a fraction of an inch away from the ledge. Grunting, he repositioned himself and tried again from a different angle.

Knowing he didn't have much time, Gage quickly pulled his pocketknife out and opened the blade. It gleamed briefly in the moonlight as he crept up behind the young man, who was searching diligently for a key that did not exist. Without hesitation the doctor jammed the knife into the side of Jake's throat, making sure that he cut the carotid artery as he pulled the blade across his neck in one swift motion.

Stunned by the attack, Jake fell backward into his assailant's arms, gasping for breath and clutching at his throat. Blood was spurting furiously from the wound, and Gage could feel the thick, warm liquid running down his hand as he twisted the knife deeper into Jake's neck. He withdrew the knife and plunged it back into his incapacitated victim, this time slicing his windpipe. He tried to ignore the gurgling sounds coming from the young man as he struggled for his life. It was a futile fight. Jake soon succumbed to the loss of blood and crumpled to the ground in an unconscious heap at Gage's feet.

**X X X X X**

Paul and Mary Margaret had made short work of the pizza, and were sitting at the kitchen table, which was littered with paper plates, an empty box, and several Coke cans.

"That was really good, but I am _so_ stuffed," Skalany groaned, and threw her napkin into the box.

"Yeah, me too," agreed Paul, who was equally miserable. "I don't think I've had that much pizza since Peter came over to watch the Super Bowl."

"I can hold my own in the pizza-eating department," Mary Margaret admitted, "but I've never seen anybody eat pizza like he does. I don't see how you afforded him when he was a teen-ager."

"Yeah, he sure could put the food away. He was like a bottomless pit," Paul said, smiling at the memory. "At first I thought it was because he'd never really had fast food before and it was all new to him, but even after he'd been with us for awhile he never slowed down. That kid would eat anything that wasn't nailed down, except for rice. I still don't understand how he kept from gaining a hundred pounds. I guess it was because he was so active."

"Active's one word for it," Skalany chuckled, "although when I'm working a stake-out with him that's not what I'd call it. Hyper is more like it. He drives me crazy."

Paul laughed. "I can imagine. Most of the time, all I have to do to keep him in line is threaten him with desk duty for a week. That usually does the trick."

"For him that would be a fate worse than death," she said and stood up and started clearing the table. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow, Captain?"

Paul leaned back and stretched, and then rubbed his jaw, absently noting the stubble that had accumulated over the course of the day. "We'll just hang around the house until it's time to meet with them, and stop by the bank and get the money on the way to the agency. I'm not sure how long they're going to keep us under surveillance, and I don't want us to go anywhere or do anything that might arouse their suspicions."

"Then you think it would be best if I stayed here overnight since they might follow me if I leave?"

"Yes, I do," Paul agreed. He got up and went over to the sink, found the dishrag, and began wiping off the table. "I know it will be inconvenient, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Is that all right with you?" he asked, eyeing her carefully.

"Yeah, I think it's the most logical thing to do. I don't want it to cause any problems for you though. Things have a way of getting around, and the fact that I spent the night in your home while your wife was out of town doesn't look very good. I really don't care what anyone thinks about me, but I don't want to harm your reputation or damage your relationship with Annie."

Paul smiled at her, touched by her regard for both him and his marriage. "I appreciate your concern, but I don't think there's anything to worry about. You and I will know the truth about what happens in this house tonight. And so will Annie because I'll explain the situation to her when I call her later tonight." His face darkened. "And if anyone starts spreading rumors at the precinct, they'll have me to answer to."

"Okay," she replied, satisfied that he was comfortable with the arrangement. Another thought suddenly occurred to her. "What about my clothes? I can't wear this same outfit again tomorrow."

"Kelly and Annie each have an entire closet full of things upstairs – my credit card can vouch for that," Paul said with a wry grin, and tossed the dishrag into the sink. "You're a little taller than they are, but I'm sure you'll be able to find something."

An evil gleam appeared in Mary Margaret's eyes as she remembered some of the fantastic clothes she'd seen the Blaisdell women wear in the past. "This should be fun. It'll be like having my own personal mall."

He chuckled at her obvious excitement. "Why don't you go upstairs and see what you can find? Kermit should be getting back to me any minute, and after I finish talking to him I need to call John Durham, the president of the bank where Kermit set up our account. There are some financial matters I want to discuss with him before our meeting tomorrow."

"Take your time, Captain," Skalany said as she made a beeline for the stairs. "I'm sure I'll find plenty to keep me busy."

**X X X X X**

Paul was sitting at Annie's antique roll top desk, the one located between the kitchen and the dining room, making notes about the case when he heard footsteps on the stairs. "Were you able to find anything?" he asked, looking expectantly at Mary Margaret as she bounded into the room.

"Are you kidding me? I felt like a kid in a candy store!" she said, her face beaming. She joined him by the desk. "I have it narrowed down to three outfits and I'll decide in the morning which one to wear, depending on what kind of mood my hair is in. Did you talk to Kermit?"

"Yes, we're all set. If the agency does any snooping, everything – DMV records, the phone number, the deed to the house, everything – will be in the name of Alexander and Jane Daniels and will match up to this address."

"Even the bogus financial information and the fake Social Security cards he created when we first started the investigation?"

"Yes, and he changed Alex's date of birth to match mine on all the relevant documents. He's also fixing us up with the birth certificates and marriage license the agency requested. He said he'd have them sent over by courier first thing in the morning so we'll have them ready to take with us to the meeting."

Satisfied, Mary Margaret let out a sigh of relief and finally allowed herself to relax, at least a little. "I'm glad that's settled. I can't think of anything we haven't covered, but the fact that they followed us home has me a little unsettled."

"Me, too," Blaisdell agreed, "but I think it was just a precaution. I'm sure in their business it pays to be paranoid, and Victoria Talbott strikes me as someone who doesn't leave anything to chance."

"She gives me the creeps," Skalany said, and shuddered. "Is there anything else we need to go over?"

Paul removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. "Not that I can think of. Kermit has taken care of the paperwork, Kelly and Carolyn know not to come by the house until they check with me first, and I called John Durham and he said we could pick up the cashier's check in the morning."

"What about our meeting tomorrow? How do you want to handle that?"

"We don't make our move until the transaction is completed and the money changes hands. Once that happens, my biggest concern is for the baby's well-being. We need to be sure he's somewhere safe before we start making any arrests. It's a potentially dangerous situation, and I don't want him to be harmed."

Mary Margaret nodded. "We can take him out to the car, call for back-up, and then go back in and bust them."

"Agreed," Paul said. He checked his watch and was surprised to discover that it was almost 10:00. "We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Are you ready to call it a night?"

"No, I'm too wired to sleep, but don't let me keep you up."

He shook his head. "I want to stay up for awhile and see if I can get another glimpse of our visitor. I don't like the fact that someone's outside snooping around."

Mary Margaret discreetly looked out the French doors, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Do you think he's still out there?"

"Hard to say," Paul replied, "but I think we have to assume we're being watched at all times and act accordingly."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." She looked around the house, searching for something to keep her occupied until she got sleepy. "So, what do you and Annie usually do when you have the house to yourselves?"

Paul tried, but couldn't quite keep a devilish grin from appearing on his lips.

Mary Margaret groaned when she saw his expression. "Oh, God, I can't believe I just asked that. Ok, other than _that_, what do you usually do?"

"Kelly rented some movies," he said, laughing when he saw the flush on her cheeks. "They're on top of the TV in the living room. Pick us one out and I'll go pop some popcorn."

"You're doing wonders for my diet," she groaned. "First pizza, now popcorn." She sighed as Blaisdell ignored her protests and headed for the kitchen. "What the hell, I've already blown it," she muttered. "Be sure you put butter on it," she called after him as he disappeared around the corner.

**X X X X X**

Victoria and Lynn had decided to go out for dinner instead of having something brought in. They had gotten a late start on the Daniels' paperwork, and were sitting at Lynn's desk, still going over the information in their file, when J.D. came into the office at half-past ten.

"What did you find out?" Victoria asked. She looked up from the computer screen as Lynn hacked into yet another so-called secure site. So far, all of the information the Daniels had provided had checked out, including a fat savings account at Metropolitan Bank.

J.D. shrugged. "Nothing. They went straight home. Mr. Daniels made some phone calls, and they ordered a pizza."

"That's it?" she asked incredulously. "You mean they didn't go out shopping or do anything to get ready for the baby?"

"No. They were snuggled up on the couch watching a movie when I left, and it looked like they were in for the night."

Victoria turned to Lynn. "Doesn't that seem kind of odd to you?" she asked. "They're bringing home a new baby in less than 24 hours, and they're sitting at home eating pizza and watching a movie. Something's not right about this."

"Not necessarily," Lynn replied. She stopped typing and flexed her fingers. "They could already have what they need for the baby, or they may want to wait until the adoption is finalized before they start buying things. You said Mr. Daniels seemed to have some doubts. Maybe he's just being cautious."

"Maybe," Victoria conceded, "but I still have a bad feeling about this."

As if to confirm her bad vibes, Julian burst into the office, carrying with him a screaming baby. The normally impeccably dressed doctor was a disheveled wreck – his hair was mussed, he was out of breath, and his jacket was covered in blood.

"What the hell is going on?" Victoria demanded. She had never seen her partner in such an agitated state before and it frightened her. Julian was always so unflappable, and for him to be this flustered she knew something had to be terribly wrong.

"Take this kid and get it something to eat," he said, thrusting the infant into a bewildered J.D.'s arms. "There are some bottles of Similac in the closet." J.D. just stood there, looking at Julian like he was crazy and holding the baby out away from his body like it had the plague.

"Now!" Julian screamed at his subordinate. "I can't take anymore of that goddamn crying." J.D. wisely hurried out of the room, obeying his boss's orders despite the fact that he had never fed a baby before in his life.

Julian tore off his jacket and shirt, leaving on only his undershirt, and demanded a trash bag from Lynn, who quickly found one for him. He stuffed the soiled clothes inside the bag and tied it tightly, and then walked over to the liquor cabinet. He poured a healthy portion of scotch into a glass and slammed it back in one swallow. He immediately poured another, but before he could drink it Victoria grabbed his arm.

He gave her a murderous look, but she refused to back down. "What happened?" she asked, although she was certain she already knew the answer.

"The parents of the Reed baby decided they wanted to keep him. I caught the father trying to sneak him out of the hospital. He'd have made it, too, if I hadn't shown up when I did."

Victoria let out a sharp breath. "Thank God, or we would have been out 50,000."

"Yeah, well, you won't have to worry about him causing us any more problems," he snorted, and threw back another shot of scotch. His hand shook as he set the empty glass down. "In fact, he won't be causing _anyone_ any more problems ever again."

"Does that mean what I think it means?"

"You told me to take care of him. I did."

"I didn't mean for you to kill him," she hissed.

"What was I supposed to do?" he screamed, no longer able to keep his frayed nerves under control. "Ask him please, with sugar on top, if we could keep his baby for our illegal adoption ring?"

Victoria glared at him. "When he doesn't show up with the baby, the girl will call the cops. The first place they'll start looking is at the hospital."

"Let them look," he said with a confidence he didn't feel. "My staff thinks I'm out of town, and no one saw the two of us together. There's no way they can tie me to his disappearance."

"I hope for all our sakes that you're right," she said. Her disgust with him was clear – not because Julian had killed an innocent teen-ager, but because he had jeopardized their entire operation. "I don't think we should all have to pay for your stupidity."

He raised his hand to slap her, but stopped at the last minute and instead grabbed the lapels of her suit jacket and yanked her to him. "Listen to me, you sanctimonious bitch. I did what I had to do. I don't need you or anyone else second-guessing me, so keep your fucking mouth shut!"

Lynn, who had remained silent while the two of them went at it, decided things had gone far enough. She got up from her chair and walked over to them before they came to blows. "Where is he?" she asked in a calm but forceful tone.

Julian released his grip on Victoria and they both turned their attention to the petite secretary. "You mean the kid?" he asked.

"Yes. What did you do with him?"

"He's in my fishing shack up at the lake. I didn't have time to get rid of him because the baby was hungry and started crying."

"You can't just leave him there," Victoria said, still furious that Julian had gotten them in this mess.

He whirled around and looked at her with contempt. "I wasn't planning to. J.D. and I are going back up there and taking a chain saw with us. By the time we get through, there won't be anything left to find."

"Make damn sure there's not," she said, and then turned around and walked back over to the desk.

**X X X X X**

"That was a really good movie," Paul said as the closing credits of _The Fugitive_ rolled across the screen.

Mary Margaret, who was sitting next to him on the couch for the benefit of whoever was watching them, stretched and yawned. "Yeah, it was. I love Harrison Ford, and he was fantastic, but I think Tommy Lee Jones stole the show in this one."

"That's what Peter said. He tried to get me to go with him to see it at the theater when it first came out, but I always ended up having to work late."

"I know how that is," she sympathized. "Work has ruined more dates and movies than I care to remember."

"One of the perks of being a cop," Blaisdell joked, as he hit the rewind button on the remote. "Along with the great pay and competitive benefits."

"You forgot about the stress-free work environment." She got to her feet and began gathering up the empty popcorn bowl and soda cans. "I didn't see any sign of our visitor during the movie," she commented.

"No, I didn't either, but I'm not going to stay up any longer watching for him. If he's still out there, I don't want him to get suspicious because we're _not_ in bed." The movie finished rewinding and Paul walked over to the VCR, ejected the tape, and put it back in the rental box.

"In case he's still watching us, let's go upstairs together," he suggested. "Once we get up there, he won't be able to see where we go. You continue on down the hall to Kelly's room; just be sure you don't turn on any lights."

"Yeah, it would really arouse his suspicion if he thinks we're sleeping in separate bedrooms," she said. She disposed of their trash while Paul checked the security system and turned out the lights. As they climbed the stairs together, he put his arm around her and she leaned into him so that it appeared as if they were a happily-married couple on their way to bed.

"'Night, Captain," she whispered, once they reached the top of the stairs.

"Good night," he replied, and then disappeared into his bedroom and shut the door.

**X X X X X**

Blaisdell awoke to the sound of a heavy rain pounding against the windows and the aroma of something delicious – bacon, and maybe pancakes – wafting up from the kitchen. For a brief moment he thought it was Saturday and Annie was downstairs fixing his favorite breakfast. Then the memory of last night's events came back to him, and he remembered the upcoming meeting with the adoption agency. He glanced over at the clock and discovered that it was only a little after 7:00. For a brief moment he contemplated surrendering to the lulling rhythm of the rain and going back to sleep. However, the desire to discuss the plan one more time with Skalany – and his growling stomach – won out over the temptation to stay in bed. With a deep sigh of regret, he kicked off the covers and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Mary Margaret, who was dressed in a faded blue T-shirt with an Eddie Bauer logo across the chest and a pair of gray sweats that she had found in Kelly's room, was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. She had finished half of her stack of pancakes by the time Paul made it downstairs. "Good morning," she said cheerfully when he walked into the room.

"Good morning," he replied, and headed straight for the coffee pot. "Breakfast smells great. You didn't have to go to all this trouble, but I'm so glad you did," he said with a grin.

"It wasn't any trouble," she said. "I like to cook. And since we don't have to be at the agency for awhile, I thought I'd fix us a real breakfast."

Paul finished spooning sugar into his coffee and carried it with him to the table. He eyed Skalany carefully as he sat down. "Where did you find that shirt?"

She paused in the middle of chewing, looked down at the faded T-shirt she was wearing, and then swallowed. "In Kelly's drawer. Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing's wrong. It's just that's my favorite shirt, and I've looked all over the house for the damn thing," he grumbled. "I should have known where it was. Stealing my shirts is a bad habit the girls picked up when they were younger, and Kelly still hasn't outgrown it. I'll break one in, get it just right, and then never see it again."

Mary Margaret laughed. "I'm afraid I can't offer you much sympathy – I used to do the same thing to my dad. Besides, I can understand why she likes this one so much. It's perfect – worn, but not worn out, and very soft."

A sad smile came over Paul's face as he took his first sip of coffee. "I try not to get aggravated with her over too much because I know she won't be here much longer, at least not living in the house with us. Then I'll be wishing she was around to steal my stuff."

"Oh, yeah, that's right. I keep forgetting she started college last fall. Has she decided what she wants to get her degree in yet?"

Paul murmured in appreciation as he got his first taste of the pancakes, savoring the bite completely before answering. "Kinesiology. She wants to be a physical therapist."

Skalany snorted. "With Peter's propensity for injuries, having a physical therapist in the family should come in handy."

The doorbell rang, interrupting their conversation. "That's probably the courier with our documents," Paul said in response to Mary Margaret's puzzled expression. He tossed his napkin on the table and got up to answer the door.

He returned a few seconds later, carrying an envelope, and settled back in his chair. He slid the package across the table to Skalany before attacking his pancakes again, and watched as she opened it and removed three documents – two birth certificates and a marriage license.

"Looks good," she said as she scanned the items. "Everything matches the information we've already given them. Kermit did a good job."

"He's the best," Paul replied with genuine admiration.

The climate of danger and mystery surrounding the two men and their past had always intrigued her and she gave in to her curiosity. "Peter told me you've known Kermit for a long time. How did the two of you meet?"

Blaisdell stared at the contents of his coffee cup for a long moment before finally answering. "He was in my Special Forces unit in Vietnam," he said with a look that made it clear no further information would be forthcoming.

The captain's haunted eyes made Mary Margaret regret her question, and she quickly looked away from him. "I think I'll go take my shower," she said, and got up from the table. As she walked up the stairs, she wondered exactly what had happened in Vietnam to elicit that kind of reaction. She doubted anyone – with the possible exception of Annie – knew the details.

**X X X X X**

It was still raining when Paul and Mary Margaret reached the adoption agency, and the day was cold and gray. Blaisdell carried his .38 in a shoulder holster, and, courtesy of John Durham, a cashier's check for 50,000 in the inside pocket of his suit jacket. Skalany was similarly armed, her weapon hidden underneath the cashmere blazer she had selected from Kelly's closet.

They entered the building at promptly 10:00, and were a little surprised to find Victoria waiting for them in the outer office. She was there with Lynn, who was sitting at her desk, and an unfamiliar man who was standing off to the side of the room with his arms folded across his chest. He had a wiry build, shifty eyes, and a demeanor that screamed "ex-con". They both immediately pegged him as the prowler who had been snooping around the house the previous night.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Daniels," Victoria said with another one of her perfunctory smiles, and then indicated the mystery man. "This is my associate, Mr. Crawford." Blaisdell and Skalany smiled politely and made the appropriate greetings. The man nodded in their direction, but didn't speak or offer to shake hands with them.

"Come in and have a seat," Victoria invited, and waited for them to settle into the two empty chairs near Lynn's desk before continuing. "Mr. Beckett has been delayed in court. Since it's going to be a few minutes before he arrives, I thought it would be more comfortable if we waited for him out here. While we're waiting, Lynn can make copies of the documents we need for our files, and you can look over the medical records you requested."

After collecting the envelope containing their birth certificates and marriage license, Victoria picked up a thick folder off of Lynn's desk and handed it to Paul. She and Skalany made small talk while he studied the information and then returned the file to the agency head.

"I trust that answered your questions about the baby's health?" she asked, with just a touch of smugness in her voice.

Paul ignored her tone and smiled. "Yes, it did. It looks as though we have a perfectly healthy baby boy."

"Yes, you do." She paused for a minute, apparently debating with herself. "How would you like to see for yourself?" she finally asked.

"You mean he's already here?" Skalany asked excitedly, and grabbed Blaisdell's arm.

"Yes, the nurse brought him over earlier, and he's sleeping in the nursery." She turned to her secretary. "Lynn, will you bring the baby in so he can meet his new parents?"

"Of course," Lynn said. She left the room and returned a few seconds later with a squirming newborn wrapped up in a pale blue blanket. Blaisdell and Skalany stood up in anticipation, and Lynn carefully guided the infant into Mary Margaret's waiting arms.

"Oh, he is so beautiful," Skalany said softly with genuine awe as she got her first glimpse of the baby's delicate features. Instinctively, she hugged him against her breast and kissed the top of his head, which was covered with a sprinkling of soft, fine hair. "Look, darling, isn't he just precious?"

Blaisdell, who was standing behind his partner, put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at the baby. "Yeah, he sure is." He reached down and stroked the infant's cheek and then touched his hand, smiling when the baby grasped his finger. "This little guy already has a strong grip. I think we've got ourselves a basketball player, sweetheart," he said with just the right amount of pride, and dropped an affectionate kiss into Mary Margaret's hair for good measure.

She turned and looked at him, her face positively glowing, and then focused her attention on Victoria. "Thank you so much for making this possible. We can't tell you what it means to us to finally have a baby of our own."

"That's what we're here for," said Victoria, who had completely bought their act as the proud parents of the newborn. She smiled at the couple, and this time it seemed sincere. "Mr. Beckett should be here shortly. Why don't you let Lynn take the baby back into the nursery and get him ready to go? Then, when all the legal work is finished, you can take him home without any further delay."

"I hate to give him up, even for a minute," Skalany pouted, "but I guess I can if it means we can take him home sooner." She kissed the infant once more before reluctantly turning him back over to Lynn, and then watched them with a wistful expression until they disappeared into the next room.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Victoria asked once they had settled back into their seats.

There was a brief pause as Blaisdell and Skalany looked at each other, trying hard not to appear as if they'd been caught off guard by the question. With all of their careful planning, this was one subject they had never discussed and neither knew quite what to say.

"Dylan," Mary Margaret finally replied.

"Thomas," Paul said at the exact same moment.

Victoria looked at them, clearly perplexed.

"Dylan Thomas," Skalany explained without missing a beat, and laughed. "We still can't agree on what to call him."

"Well, both are excellent choices," Victoria said diplomatically. "I'm sure whichever one you decide to use will…" her voice broke off as the door swung open and a well-dressed man carrying a briefcase walked into the room, brushing rain off of his coat.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, obviously distracted by damage the weather had done to his attire. Without looking up, he wiped his feet on the welcome mat. Then, he set his briefcase down and removed his overcoat before finally turning his attention to the others in the room. "I got held up in court, and this weather…" he stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Paul. "What… what's he doing here?" he blurted out, and looked at Victoria in confusion.

Paul saw the flash of recognition in Mason Beckett's eyes and realized their cover had just been blown all to hell. Without hesitation, he jumped to his feet and went after Crawford, deciding he posed the biggest threat. J.D. immediately reached for his gun, but Blaisdell managed to grab his hand before he could fire it. With a vicious yank, the ex-mercenary twisted his adversary's wrist until he dropped the weapon. Now that he had disarmed him, Paul didn't waste any time putting him away. Two quick blows, one to the mouth and one just under his left eye, and J.D. was out like a light.

The minute Victoria realized what was happening, she tried to slip out of the office unnoticed, but Skalany blocked her escape and greeted her with an impertinent grin. "Going somewhere?" she asked.

Wild-eyed, Victoria looked around for another way out, but there wasn't one. Knowing she was trapped, she lunged at Mary Margaret with a maniacal cry, and they crashed to the floor. They struggled ferociously, scratching and biting and kicking, until Skalany finally managed to gain the upper hand. She was reaching for her handcuffs when Talbott broke free from Skalany's grasp and clawed the detective in the face, digging her nails deep into her skin and raking them savagely down her left cheek.

"Shit!" Mary Margaret growled. She ignored both the pain and the blood running down the side of her face and stayed focused on her foe. The blow made her furious, and the extra adrenaline allowed her to once again subdue the much taller woman. Skalany belted her hard across the jaw with her fist, twice, and then rolled her over onto her stomach. Then she jerked Victoria's arms behind her back and slapped the cuffs on her before she had a chance to mount another attack.

As soon as he had taken care of Crawford, Blaisdell focused his attention on Beckett, who had turned to flee the minute he saw J.D. go down. However, the attorney had waited just a second too late to make his move, and Paul was able to tackle him right before he made it out the door.

Beckett didn't put up much of a fight, not after seeing what Blaisdell had done to Crawford, and Paul hauled him to his feet at about the same time Skalany was finishing up with Victoria. Letting out a deep sigh of relief that the operation was finally over, Paul ran the back of his hand across his mouth and turned to congratulate his detective on a job well done. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks – Lynn was standing in the doorway of the nursery with a gun pointed directly at Mary Margaret, getting ready to pull the trigger.

"No!" he screamed, and instinctively rushed towards Skalany, grabbing her in his arms and pulling her down with him just as a shot rang out. Paul heard the sound of the gun's report at almost the exact same moment he felt a searing pain in his back as the bullet ripped into his flesh and he collapsed onto the floor.

**X X X X X**

Skalany disentangled herself from Paul's arms and was horrified to discover that he had been hit. Despite the overwhelming concern she had for her captain, she momentarily pushed it out of her mind and reached for her weapon in order to return fire. Before she could draw, a voice stopped her cold.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

Mary Margaret's hand froze and she slowly looked up. She was surprised to find Lynn pointing a 9mm directly at her chest.

"Very slowly, put your hands on top of your head," she ordered in a calm but forceful voice.

Skalany couldn't believe the petite secretary who seemed so docile was using a gun with such authority. Her hands weren't even shaking. Seeing no trace of indecision in the woman's eyes and considering she had already used the gun once with amazing effectiveness, Mary Margaret followed her instructions.

While Lynn kept the weapon trained on the detective, Beckett recovered J.D.'s gun. He squatted down beside Paul, who was conscious but struggling to breathe, and patted him down. He found the cashier's check, and flashed it in Victoria's direction with a triumphant smile. He then quickly located the gun inside Paul's jacket, removed it from the holster, and slipped both it and the check into his pocket. He repeated the same process with Skalany, and also took the keys to her handcuffs. He used them to free Victoria, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet during the entire process.

"How did you know who they were?" she asked Beckett after he removed the handcuffs and helped her to her feet.

He snorted and shook his head in disbelief. "Don't you watch the news? That man's not just any cop," he said, gesturing towards Paul. "He's Captain Paul Blaisdell, head of the 101st Precinct, and one of the most respected police officers in the state."

"Thank God you recognized him," she said quietly, still in shock over just how close they had come to being apprehended. "They must want us pretty badly to put someone of his stature on the case. We'd better get the hell out of here before some of their friends get suspicious and come looking for them."

Beckett checked his watch. "They probably won't be missed for awhile, at least not for a couple of hours. That should give us enough time to clean out our bank accounts and make some travel arrangements. We can lock them up in the spare room in case any of their fellow officers decide to stop by before then. Lynn can tell them they've already picked up their baby and left. By the time they get a warrant, we'll be long gone."

"Good idea," Victoria agreed. "I'll call Julian and fill him in. He should be here by the time you get back, and he can decide what to do with the two of them. After last night, he should have plenty of experience in getting rid of bodies. Two more won't matter."

**X X X X X**

It was after 10:00 by the time Peter finally made it back to the precinct. He and Jody had been called out on a robbery as soon as they had arrived for their shift, and he hadn't even had his first cup of coffee. He grabbed the one Jody had just poured for herself, disregarding her protests and threats as he made his way to Blaisdell's office. He was surprised to find it empty. In fact, it looked as if Paul hadn't been in all morning, which was odd considering he usually arrived before anyone else. Perplexed, Peter went down the hall and stuck his head inside Kermit's door. "Hey, Kermit. Have you seen Paul this morning?"

"Come in here again without knocking, and you'll be on a liquid diet for a month," Kermit warned without looking up from his monitor.

Peter ignored the threat and, without invitation, sat down in one of the chairs across from the computer guru's desk. He took a sip of coffee, grimacing as the hot liquid burned his throat. "Seriously, Kermit, I need to know where he is."

"I was being serious," Griffin replied. He closed out the file he had been working on and turned his attention to the young detective in front of him. "Paul's out of the office on an undercover assignment, and said he probably wouldn't be in until after lunch."

"Undercover assignment?" Peter asked, a touch of surprise in his voice. "It's been awhile since he's done any undercover work. It must be something pretty big if he's handling it personally. Any idea what it is?"

"The illegal adoption ring Skalany's been investigating," he replied. He leaned back in his chair, laced his fingers behind his head, and waited for the eruption that he knew was sure to come.

He didn't have to wait long. Peter immediately jumped to his feet. "Hey, that's my case. Mary Margaret asked me a long time ago to be her partner on that one."

"Yeah, well, take it up with the boss when he gets back," Kermit advised, clearly amused by Peter's consternation. He grinned broadly at his fellow detective. "Besides, speaking from personal experience, I've learned the hard way that if you're not going to be around when your wife needs you, she'll find somebody else."

"Yeah, but this is not just somebody else. Itit's Paul, and it's hard for me to imagine him with anyone other than Mom, even if it is just pretend." He slowed down as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Do you realize what it's going to do to my reputation when word gets out around the precinct that Skalany dumped me for my dad? I'll never hear the end of it," he said with a groan. "Not from Jody, and especially not from Mary Margaret. You know how she likes to torment me."

"That's probably why she has a penchant for your fathers, one in particular," Kermit teased. "Who knows? Maybe one day she'll be your step-mother."

Peter made a face. "Very funny, Kermit. If you see Paul before I do, tell him I have tickets to the hockey game tonight, and I'll pick him at 7:00."

**X X X X X**

It only took a minute – and a splash of cold water – to revive J.D. He was a little groggy, but otherwise able to function. Satisfied that he was capable of handling the situation, Victoria went into her office to try to track Julian down on his cell phone, and left the two men behind to take care of their captives.

Beckett returned J.D.'s gun to him and then trained Paul's .38 on Skalany. "Get up," he ordered. "And keep your hands where I can see them."

Mary Margaret cast a sidelong glance at Paul, who was still lying on the floor squirming in pain, but did as she was told.

Crawford grabbed Blaisdell by the collar and yanked him to his feet without any regard for his wound. He jammed the barrel of the gun against Paul's temple. "I hope you give me a reason to use this," he whispered, then pushed him towards Skalany.

Despite the excruciating pain, Paul managed to stay upright and together he and Mary Margaret were herded into the back room, which served as both a nursery and a small apartment. There was a baby bed in one corner, where the infant was sleeping soundly, and a changing table next to it that contained all the necessary baby supplies. On the other side of the room there was a double bed with a slatted headboard, along with a sink, a microwave, and a miniature refrigerator. There weren't any windows, and the only door was the one that connected to the outer office.

Crawford shoved Paul down onto the bed and seemed to take an inordinate amount of pleasure from the groan that escaped Blaisdell's lips when he landed full force on his wounded back. "Did you get their handcuffs?" J.D. asked his cohort.

"Yeah," Beckett replied, and removed both sets of metal bands from his jacket pocket.

"Good. Bring them over here and cuff each one of his hands to the bed." He leered at Mary Margaret. "While you do that, I'll keep an eye on this sweet thing."

"Won't we need a set for her?" Beckett asked, indicating Skalany as he snapped one cuff around Paul's wrist and then attached the other cuff to a slat in the headboard. He repeated the process with Paul's other hand.

"She's not going anywhere," J.D. replied. "And as much as it turns me on thinking about her in handcuffs, I want her to be able to take care of that kid when he wakes up. My days of diaper duty are over."

He walked over and tugged on Paul's restraints, and, apparently satisfied that they would hold, turned his attention back to Skalany and slowly traced a finger down her battered cheek. He slipped his hand inside her blouse and stroked her collarbone with his thumb, before dropping his hand down to caress her breast. Then, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her on the lips. "I'll be back," he whispered against her cheek, and abruptly released her. He jerked his head at Beckett and the two men walked out of the room, locking the door behind them.

Mary Margaret held her breath until she heard the door close, and then rushed over to Paul. "Take it easy, Captain," she said, worry clouding her eyes. The red stain on the front of his shirt was spreading, and the color was beginning to drain from his face. A thin sheen of perspiration covered his forehead, and his breathing was shallow and labored. "I need to take a look, sir," she said. When he offered no objections, she removed his tie and then quickly unbuttoned his shirt. She tugged his shirttail out of his pants, and then pushed the fabric aside to get a look at the damage.

The bullet had exited through the lower part of his right ribcage, and the area surrounding the wound was already marked by angry, red bruising. Shredded pieces of skin surrounded the hole, and blood was still oozing from the opening. She rolled him slightly to his left to look for the point of entry, and found a dime-sized hole in his back. "It doesn't look too bad," she lied. "Let me see if I can find something to stop the bleeding."

She went over to the sink and searched through the drawers and cabinets for a clean towel, but wasn't able to find one. Looking around the room for something else she could use, she spied a stack of cloth diapers underneath the baby's changing table. She also found a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and grabbed it along with a couple of the diapers and sat down on the bed next to Paul.

"Oh, hell," he said when he saw the alcohol.

"I'm sorry, Captain," she said, biting her lip. "I know this is going to hurt, but it could be a long time before you can get to the hospital. We need to do everything we possibly can to cut down on the risk of infection."

"I know. Just give me a minute, all right?" He took a few breaths, nodded at Mary Margaret, and then closed his eyes, bracing himself for the onslaught of pain.

With only a moment's hesitation, Skalany opened the bottle and poured a good portion of the alcohol on the exit wound. Paul bucked and groaned as the liquid came into contact with his body and fire erupted around his torn flesh. With a mental reminder that she was doing what was best for him, Mary Margaret blocked out his discomfort and repeated the process with the wound on his back. It produced the same fiery results, causing him to writhe in agony. By the time the searing torture finally came to an end, his breath was coming in short, rapid gasps and he was covered with sweat.

Skalany's hands shook slightly as she picked up one of the cloths and used it to wipe the perspiration off of Paul's face and chest. Mindful of his ribs, she pressed the other cloth against his side to try to staunch the blood that was still seeping from the hole. From the ragged way he was breathing, she had no doubt at least one of his ribs was cracked. She just hoped none were broken, and that he didn't have any internal injuries.

"You're probably not going to believe this right now," she said with a grin, "but things could be worse. The bullet didn't come close to your spine. In fact, if it had been another inch or two to the right, it would have just grazed your side or maybe even missed you completely."

"You're right – I don't believe you," he replied with a rueful smile. "What did Crawford say to you?"

Her brown eyes locked on to his blue ones for a long moment, and then she looked away. "He said he would be back," she answered quietly, and shuddered at the memory of J.D.'s hands roaming over her body.

"Damn it, I was afraid of that." They had both dealt with plenty of rape cases over the years, and had seen firsthand the emotional scars it left on both the victims and their families. Blaisdell was determined to do everything in his power to prevent Mary Margaret from suffering that kind of abuse. "I know it sounds like an empty threat considering our circumstances, but I swear I'll kill that bastard if he touches you again."

She couldn't help but be touched by his chivalry, but was almost resigned to her fate. "I appreciate what you're saying, but you've got to promise me you won't do anything to antagonize Crawford. He's just looking for an excuse to kill you, and it won't take much to set him off. No matter what he does to me, it's not worth you losing your life over. You've already taken a bullet for me. I couldn't live with myself if anything else happened to you."

"Yes, but do you think it would be any easier for me to live with myself if I didn't do everything I could to keep you from getting raped?"

Mary Margaret smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, I don't think there's much either one of us can do to stop it."

**X X X X X**

After searching the room thoroughly for a weapon and coming up empty, Mary Margaret walked over to the sink and returned with a glass of water. She put the extra pillow behind Paul's head and helped him sit up as much as the restraints and his injured ribs would allow. Raising the glass to his lips, she let him get a long drink and then took one herself. She was in the process of covering him with a blanket when something caught her eye and made her pause. "How'd you get that?" she asked, and pointed to a long scar that ran across his left shoulder.

Paul looked down to see what she was referring to. "I broke my collarbone in high school and had to have surgery on it."

She hesitated, remembering his reaction the last time she had asked him anything personal, but she figured this was a safer subject and let her natural curiosity win out. "How'd you break it?"

"In a football game my senior year," he said, a nostalgic look instantly materializing on his face.

It didn't surprise her in the least to learn that he had played football, not with the graceful way he still looked and moved. She had no doubt he'd been a very good athlete. "Tell me about it," she invited, certain from his expression there was a story behind the incident.

"I'm sure you don't want to listen to boring stories of my glory days," he said, and looked away, slightly embarrassed.

His reaction reminded her of Peter. "No, really, I'd love to hear it," she coaxed.

"Ok," he conceded with a bashful smile, and then took a quick breath as he drifted back to the days of his youth. "It was the state championship game and both teams were undefeated. We were down 21-17 late in the fourth quarter, and were on their 30…" He stopped abruptly. "How much do you know about football?"

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, clearly insulted. "My dad is the biggest Bears' fan who ever lived. I've watched football since I was in diapers."

He grinned. "Ok, I just didn't know how much terminology I needed to explain. Anyway, we were on their 30 with seven seconds left, and needed a touchdown to win. I dropped back to pass and both of their corners came on a blitz. I knew I was going to get hit, but managed to get a pass off just before I got hammered. One guy hit me high and the other one hit me low. They drove me into the ground with such force that it broke my collarbone and gave me a concussion."

"What about the pass?" Skalany demanded, anxious to hear how the game had turned out. "Did you complete it?"

"Yeah, that's the ironic part. They said my receiver made a spectacular catch, but I was knocked unconscious for a minute or two and didn't even see the play. Of course back then they didn't film or tape games like they do now, so I never got a chance to see exactly what happened. It was in all the papers, though, and the coach brought copies to me the next day when he came to visit me in the hospital. I still have the clippings up in the attic somewhere."

"Wow, that must have been a great game," she said. "I would have loved to have seen it."

Paul grinned. "Yeah, me too."

"Did you play any college ball?" she asked.

"I played at West Point."

She let out a low whistle. "Army had some really good teams back then."

He nodded. "We only lost one game my first three seasons, and were ranked #1 my junior year. We didn't do very well my senior year, though. I think we ended up 2-7."

"That had to be hard after having all that success."

"It was, but with everything that was going on in Korea, it really wasn't that important. Not with all those men dying, and wondering if you would be going over there after graduation."

Before she could ask if he had served there, a soft cry got their attention. Mary Margaret sprang to her feet and walked over to the baby bed. The little boy was awake and squirming, and sucking on his fist. She took one of the bottles of ready-to-drink formula off of the changing table and removed the plastic packaging that protected the nipple. Carefully lifting the infant into her arms, she took him over to the bed and sat down beside Paul. As soon as she had the baby settled in a comfortable position, she guided the nipple into his mouth and grinned when he began to suck voraciously.

Paul was a little surprised at the ease with which Skalany handled the baby. "You're pretty good at that," he remarked as he watched the hungry infant eat. It didn't seem like all that long ago that his own kids were that small.

"My sister had a baby last year, so I've had a little practice," she explained. "That's one of the reasons my mom nags me so much about getting married – she wants more grandchildren. Well, that and the fact that she thinks a woman can't be happy without a man in her life."

"You're mother should be proud of you regardless of your marital status. You're a wonderful woman and a damn fine detective, and if you ever decide to have kids, you'll make a fantastic mother."

Mary Margaret practically glowed from such high praise, mainly because it came from a man she respected and admired so much. "Thank you, Captain," she said, but her smile quickly faded and her expression turned wistful. "I always wanted children until I became a cop. Then I saw how cruel and vicious people were and decided I didn't want to bring an innocent baby into this crazy world."

Paul sighed. "I used to think that way, too, especially when I started working in Special Forces and saw all the senseless waste of life, all the ways mankind had come up with to torture and maim and kill. I swore to myself that I would never have any kids, not if they were going to grow up in a world where there was so much hate and so little regard for life."

"What made you change your mind?" she asked softly.

"Carolyn's mother, Grace, my first wife," he replied, smiling at her memory. "She taught kindergarten and absolutely adored children. It didn't take long for the way she felt about them to rub off on me. She made me realize that kids were all that was right with the world."

Skalany listened, rapt, as Paul talked, amazed at the things she was learning about her boss. She didn't know if the threat of impending death had loosened his tongue, or if he simply felt more comfortable around her because they had grown closer during the course of the assignment. Whatever the reason, she had learned more about him during the last twenty-four hours than she had learned the entire time she had known him. Although he was always friendly and even went to Chandler's with the gang after work on occasion, he never revealed much about his past. That secrecy created an air of mystery about him, and she wanted to soak up all the information she could while she had the chance.

"She sounds like an incredible woman," she said, as she raised the baby up on her shoulder in order to burp him.

"Yeah, she was."

"What happened to her?" The question came out so fast it even shocked her and she cringed, hoping she hadn't crossed the bounds of propriety.

Something that went beyond pain flashed in Paul's eyes. "She was killed in a car accident," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He didn't add that it was a result of sabotage meant for him, or that she was six months pregnant with their second child when it happened. Even now, it was too excruciating to think about, much less discuss.

"I'm sorry, sir," Mary Margaret replied, instantly remorseful that she had brought the subject up in the first place.

A loud burp filled the room and quickly dispelled the tension that had formed. They both laughed, and Mary Margaret took the baby off of her shoulder and placed him in her lap so that Paul could see him too. "He really is precious, isn't he?" she asked as she talked to the infant in the universal tone women used for small babies. "I wonder who his parents are?"

"I don't know. Hopefully we can find out and get him back to them. If they want him, that is. Otherwise, I guess he'll be placed with Social Services."

"I'm sure they won't have a hard time finding a home for him," she said, and beamed when the baby rewarded her with a smile. "He's already getting under my skin."

"Probably not. Healthy infants usually aren't hard to place."

"Unlike smart-mouthed teenagers?"

Paul laughed. "Oh, yeah, but he was worth every minute of it. And then some."

**X X X X X**

Victoria stepped out of her office and found J.D. and Beckett gathered around Lynn at her desk. "I just got off the phone with Julian," she informed the group. "He's wrapping things up, and said he'd be here as soon as he could. Did you find out who the woman is?"

"Detective Mary Margaret Skalany," Lynn replied, and handed a leather case to Victoria. "I found her badge and ID in her purse."

"I wonder what it would do to the captain's impeccable reputation if his superiors found out he was sleeping with one of his detectives," she mused as she studied the information on Skalany's card. "J.D., are you sure they're lovers?"

"Definitely," he replied. "I watched them for over three hours last night and saw them kissing with my own eyes. And it wasn't just a friendly peck, either. They were all over each other."

Her eyes narrowed. "And you're sure they didn't know you were watching them and were just putting on a show for you?"

"Hell, no," he scoffed. "They didn't have a clue."

"It seems Captain Blaisdell isn't as ethical as he pretends," Beckett said, raising an eyebrow. "Not only is he sleeping with a subordinate, he's also cheating on his wife."

"How do you know he's married?" Victoria demanded.

"If you people would pick up a newspaper every now and then, you might learn a few things," Mason said, disgusted by her lack of knowledge. "Blaisdell's blind wife was attacked by some nut case last winter. It was all over the news."

"I don't watch the news – it depresses me," she replied in a bored tone.

"Well, it's a good thing somebody around here does, or we'd all be sitting in a jail cell right now," he shot back.

Victoria glared at him. "We've got too many things to take care of to waste time pointing fingers. J.D., Lynn, and I are going to clean up this office; I'd suggest you get the money and then do the same thing to yours."

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed, and started walking to the door. "It won't take long. By the time I get back, hopefully Julian will be here and we can get the hell out of town."

As soon as Beckett left the office, Crawford pulled Victoria aside. "If we have time after we wrap everything up, I'd like to teach Blaisdell and his girlfriend a lesson. You want to watch?" he asked with a sadistic smile.

"I'd love to," she said.

**X X X X X**

Mary Margaret had just returned the baby to his crib and was sitting on the side of the bed putting a fresh cloth on Paul's gunshot wound when the door suddenly opened. Victoria stepped into the room with J.D following closely on her heels. His left eye was already swollen shut and had started turning a lurid shade of purple. Blood was still oozing from the split in his lip, which obviously needed to be stitched. Paul couldn't help but take a certain amount of satisfaction when he saw the damage he had caused.

"Well, now. Isn't this cozy?" Victoria said with a smirk upon seeing Mary Margaret tending to Paul's wound. "Captain, I've been doing some research on you and it seems you have a wife. I wonder what she would think about Detective Skalany having her hands all over you. Considering the two of you spent a romantic evening at your house last night and she ended up sleeping there, maybe there's a lot your wife doesn't know about. I guess she's blind in more ways than one."

Paul's jaw tightened, but he knew she was trying to bait them and simply ignored her comments. Skalany, on the other hand, was furious and would have gone after Talbott if it had not been for a sharp look from Blaisdell. She remained seated but couldn't resist glaring at the agency head. "He needs a doctor," she hissed. "Let him go to the hospital and you can keep me for a hostage."

"What a noble gesture, detective," Victoria said insincerely, "but what makes you think I'm going to keep either one of you?" She walked over to where Paul was lying and took a look at his wound. She trailed a well-manicured nail down his chest to his ribcage, and, without warning, drove her fist into his torn flesh, smiling when Paul screamed in pain. Skalany jumped to her feet but was quickly restrained by J.D., who grabbed her around the throat with his forearm and put the barrel of his 9mm against her temple.

Victoria took Mary Margaret's place on the bed beside Paul and leaned down close to him. "I don't like to be tricked, Captain," she said, whispering the words directly into his ear as she softly caressed his cheek. "By the time I get finished with you, you'll wish that bullet had killed you." She paused and turned to address Skalany. "Before we get to that, J.D. has some exciting plans for you and has graciously invited me to watch."

"Take off your jacket, sweet thing," J.D. ordered with a lascivious grin. Once she had complied, he handed the gun to Victoria, who watched as her cohort grabbed Skalany's blouse. He ripped it open, sending buttons scattering across the room.

Mary Margaret retaliated by kicking her attacker solidly in the solar plexus. Crawford doubled over and then dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. Skalany quickly grabbed the empty water glass and was preparing to smash it on his head when Victoria's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"You do and he's a dead man," she warned and pressed the gun between Paul's eyes.

Skalany looked over at the woman and immediately dropped the tumbler.

Several seconds later, J.D. managed to clamber to his feet. "You stupid bitch," he growled, and struck Mary Margaret as hard as he could in the face with his fist. The force of the blow knocked her to the floor and left her dazed. Fighting the dizziness that was threatening to overtake her, she began scooting across the carpet, trying desperately to get away from her captor. He laughed as he watched her crawl away, then grabbed her by one of her ankles and dragged her to him. He rolled her onto her back and positioned her so that Paul and Victoria had a clear view of what was happening.

"The more they fight him, the better he likes it so this should be a good show," Victoria remarked casually once J.D. had subdued Skalany. "Too bad we don't have any popcorn."

"Please," Paul pleaded. "I'll do whatever you want, just don't let him do this to her."

"What's the matter, Captain? Don't you want to watch your lover get fucked by another man?" Victoria taunted. "Just relax, sit back, and enjoy – watching can be almost as fun as the real thing." She turned her attention back to J.D., enthralled by what he was about to do to his semi-conscious victim. She was so engrossed in the scene unfolding before her that she didn't notice Paul pulling furiously against his restraints. He struggled ferociously, hoping to break the bed's wooden slats, but was no match for them or the metal bands. The steel bit into his wrists, tearing his skin until rivulets of blood ran down his forearms.

Skalany was too groggy from the punch to put up much of a fight. She barely resisted when J.D. tore off her bra. He drank in the sight of her naked torso before taking a breast into his mouth, biting and sucking on it so viciously that she squirmed with discomfort. After repeating the process with the other breast, he licked his way down her stomach until he came to a stop just below her navel. He wriggled off her skirt and removed her underclothes, groaning in anticipation when her body was completely revealed. He slowly ran his hands up the inside of her thighs, coming to a stop between her legs. He slipped his fingers inside her folds and then thrust them deeper inside of her, moving them against her most sensitive areas until her body betrayed her and finally began to respond to his ministrations.

"Does she get this wet for you, Captain?" J.D. taunted, looking at Paul as he continued to finger his helpless victim. He covered Skalany's breast with his free hand and began to fondle it in rhythm with his movements below. "I wonder if she tastes as good as she looks and feels." He lowered his mouth to hers and began kissing her, bruising her with his teeth as he savagely bit her tender flesh. He forced her lips apart and then invaded her mouth with his tongue. As she fought against him, trying desperately to escape the assault, he became even more aroused and quickly stood up to release the bulge in his pants. He was unbuckling his belt when the door suddenly swung open.

**X X X X X**

"What the hell is going on in here?" Julian Gage demanded. He looked down and saw Mary Margaret lying on the floor naked, and J.D. standing over her in the process of unzipping his pants.

"Are you fucking crazy?" he screamed at Crawford. "We have the cops breathing down our necks, and I walk in here and find an orgy taking place. I swear, J.D., if you weren't the only one who knew how to fly the plane, I'd kill you right now. Now get it back in your pants and let's get everything ready to go." He turned on his heel and left the room without waiting for a response. Victoria quickly followed after him while J.D. hitched up his pants. He blew a kiss to Mary Margaret as he stepped over her, leaving her lying on the floor naked and trembling.

Paul watched Crawford leave and let out a grateful sigh when the door closed. He looked back at his battered detective and tried to ascertain her condition. She was conscious and moving, but he knew the damage she had suffered was far more emotional than physical. He cursed the handcuffs that kept him from going to her.

Skalany slowly raised herself up into a sitting position, and looked over at Blaisdell. Their eyes met and held for a brief moment, and Mary Margaret saw nothing but compassion and concern in his gaze before he discreetly turned away. She gathered up her clothes and got dressed as best as she could, despite the condition of some of her garments. Her bra and underclothes were ruined, so she didn't even bother with them. There weren't any buttons left on her blouse, and she had to tie the ends of it together at the bottom to hold it in place. Once she finished, she walked over to the sink and took a good look at herself in the mirror above it, and was shocked by how ragged she looked. She splashed cold water on her face and washed the dried blood off of her cheek, wincing slightly when she rubbed too hard on her swollen cheekbone.

After she had cleaned herself up and regained her composure, she checked on the baby, who had, remarkably, remained asleep during the entire ordeal. She picked up two more cloth diapers, walked over to Paul, and sat down on the edge of the bed next to him. She pushed his shirt open, and was unsurprised to see that his wound had started bleeding again. As gently as possible, she pressed the cloth against his side and held it in place with her hand.

They sat in an awkward silence until Mary Margaret noticed the blood running down his arms. "How did…" She stopped in mid-sentence, both horrified and profoundly touched when she realized how he had injured his wrists. "Let me fix those up for you."

"Please, no alcohol this time," he pleaded with a wry grin.

She couldn't help but laugh. "No alcohol, I promise."

**X X X X X**

Peter stopped by Kermit's office on his way back from lunch, and this time he remembered to knock. "Did Paul and Skalany ever make it back?" he asked after receiving permission to enter.

Kermit looked at his watch, and was surprised to discover that it was a little past 1:00. "No, they didn't," he said with a frown, and sat up in his chair. "I thought they'd be here by now."

The hair on the back of Peter's neck stood up. "You think we should go over there and check it out?"

"Paul's not going to like us storming in there if there's nothing wrong," the older detective pointed out. "We could blow the entire operation."

"And if there is something wrong?" Peter asked, unable to ignore the sick feeling that had just settled in the pit of his stomach.

Kermit considered the situation for a long moment. "It probably wouldn't hurt to find out what's going on," he finally replied. He walked over to the filing cabinet and took out the Desert Eagle.

**X X X X X**

"We're ready to go," Julian informed Victoria as he closed his cell phone. He checked his watch, and was relieved to discover they were making good time. It had only taken twenty minutes to get everything taken care of. "I just got off the phone with the mechanic, and the plane is fueled up and ready for take-off. With any luck, we'll be across the border before the police figure out where we've headed."

"What about our guests?" she asked.

Gage grimaced. "As soon as Beckett shows up, I'll get rid of them. I'm not crazy about killing cops, but we can't afford to keep them around. They know too much."

**X X X X X**

Peter maneuvered the Stealth into an empty parking space that was far enough away from the agency not to arouse suspicion, but close enough that they could still monitor the building. "How do you want to play this?" he asked after shutting off the engine.

"We can't just barge in there without probable cause," Kermit reminded him. "Let's just watch for a minute and see if anything suspicious is going on. If not, we'll go around back and see what we can see."

"Yeah, and in the meantime Paul and Mary Margaret could be hurt. Or worse," Peter muttered.

"Look, kid, I don't like waiting around any better than you do, but until we have a better feel for what we're up against, we're going to play this close to the vest. You got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," Peter growled. He turned away from Kermit and stared sullenly out the window. He wasn't at all happy about taking things slowly, but knew he would never win this argument.

Several seconds later, a white BMW came screeching into the lot and stopped in front of the agency. Kermit and Peter both watched intently as a well-dressed man carrying a briefcase got out of the car and went into the building. "Any idea who that was?" Kermit asked.

"It looked like Mason Beckett, the attorney Skalany went to see when she set this whole thing up, but I couldn't be sure," Peter replied.

"That could explain the delay," Kermit reasoned. "Beckett could've gotten held up in court or something, and is just now arriving with the adoption papers."

"Yeah, maybe, but I don't like it, Kermit," Peter said, shaking his head. "Something's just not right, I'm sure of it. I know there's not any hard evidence to back up my suspicions, but I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I learned a long time ago to always follow your instincts," Kermit said with a sigh and reached for the door handle. He hoped they weren't making a huge mistake. "Let's go around back and see if we can find out what's going on. Just follow my lead, ok?"

**X X X X X**

Victoria was clearing some personal items off of her desk when Julian came into her office. "Mason's here," he informed her. "He's got the money and we're ready to go. You, Mason, and Lynn get in the van, and J.D. and I will take care of our company." He pulled out a pistol and began attaching a silencer.

"What do you see?" Peter whispered. They were at the back of the building, which was deserted except for a couple of stray cats digging through the garbage containers. Peter was keeping watch while Kermit tried to look through the window. The blinds were closed, but there was just enough of a gap at the center to let him see inside.

"A man and a woman are inside talking. I don't see any sign of Paul or Skalany," Kermit whispered back. He saw the man take out a gun and start to attach a silencer. That was all he needed to see. He removed the Desert Eagle from his waistband and took off around the corner of the building at full speed with a bewildered Peter scrambling after him.

Kermit kicked in the door to the outer office just as Gage came out of Victoria's inner sanctum. The doctor whirled around at the noise and was surprised to see two men standing before him, weapons drawn. For a split second he considered surrendering, then decided he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in jail. He raised the gun and pointed it at the man in the green glasses. As he prepared to fire, he was suddenly slammed backwards by a bullet that caught him in the forehead. He slid to the floor, leaving a trail of blood and gray matter behind him on the wall.

As soon as Peter saw the man go down, he turned his attention to the other three people in the room. Beckett and one of the women already had their hands up in surrender. The other woman, the one seated at the desk, was reaching into the top drawer.

"Ah, ah, ah," he said, and pointed the pearl-handled Beretta at her. "Unless you want to join your friend over here at the morgue, I wouldn't do that."

Lynn immediately stopped and put her hands in the air. Peter walked over to her desk, opened the drawer, and took out the 9mm she had used on Paul. "What a naughty girl," he said as he pocketed the weapon. "Our little party's over here." He jerked her to her feet and pushed her in the general direction of the other captives.

While Peter patted down the prisoners, Kermit knelt down and inspected the dead man, who was slumped against the wall staring back at him with sightless eyes. Unnoticed, he retrieved the gun that was still in the corpse's hand and tucked it into his waistband. "I was a little off to the left," he told Peter as he stood up and straightened his tie. "I'll have to go to the range next week."

Before Peter could reply to Kermit's flippant comment, a noise behind one of the closed doors got their attention and they both immediately raised their weapons. The door opened and J.D. came into the room. He was standing behind Mary Margaret, using her as a shield. He had one arm around her throat and had a gun to her head.

Both detectives were stunned when they got their first look at Skalany. Her hair was in disarray and her clothes were tattered. She had a prominent bruise on her left cheekbone where J.D. had slugged her, and a nasty scratch on her cheek. When she raised her hands up to pull on J.D.'s arm in order to try to ease the pressure on her throat, her blouse, which didn't have any buttons, came apart, and they could see bruises and bite marks on her breasts. Kermit's jaw clenched, but he managed to stifle his emotions and stay focused on the situation before him.

"Put it down, mother fucker," Griffin commanded, and he tightened his grip on the Desert Eagle.

Beads of sweat popped out on Crawford's brow and he looked wild-eyed back and forth between Peter and Kermit as if unable to decide which one posed the biggest threat.

"You two back off," he ordered. "Back off, or I swear I'll kill her."

"I'm only going to tell you one more time to put that gun down," Kermit growled. He was trying to buy time, hoping he'd be able to find an opening that would allow him to take the man out. However, J.D. wasn't much taller than Skalany and was positioned so that it was impossible for Kermit to get off a clean shot.

Crawford laughed at Kermit's mandate, but it was a nervous laugh. "You've got it backwards, asshole – I'm the one giving the orders, and if you don't do what I say this pretty thing is going to have a hole in her head. Now put down your goddamn guns!"

"Ok, ok, just take it easy," Peter said. He looked over at Kermit and nodded, and both detectives slowly lowered their weapons and dropped them to the floor.

J.D. looked at them with a cocky grin and relaxed his hold on Mary Margaret. "You just signed your death certificates," he said and stepped away from Skalany in order to collect the discarded guns.

As soon as he took the first step away from her, both Kermit and Peter drew the guns they had confiscated earlier. A barrage of bullets hit J.D. so fast that he barely had time to register what was happening. He glanced down and saw blood spurting from his chest, and then looked up at Kermit in absolute and total surprise before collapsing to the floor. The man was so shocked, in fact, that Kermit _almost_ felt sorry for him. Confident that Peter could handle the situation alone, he stepped over the corpse and went in search of Paul.

Peter saw Kermit leave and knew immediately where he was going. He quickly trained his weapon on the others in the room, but they were too busy staring in horror at their fallen comrade to contemplate escaping. He kept them in his sight and walked over to Skalany. "Are you ok?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes, but Paul's been shot." She saw the look of panic on her partner's face and quickly reassured him. "I don't think it's serious though. The bullet entered the right side of his back and came out on the other side, just below his ribcage. He's in a lot of pain – I think he might have some cracked ribs – but he's conscious and coherent."

The color came back into Peter's countenance and he let out a sigh of relief. "Good," he said, and handed her the gun. "Can you cover me while I call this in?"

"With pleasure," she replied, and with a steady hand leveled the weapon at their captives.

**X X X X X**

"It's about time you got here," Paul muttered as his protégé came over to release him from his restraints.

"I never knew you were into bondage, Paul," Kermit said with a smirk as he took out his keys and unlocked his mentor's handcuffs. He ignored the glare Blaisdell shot him and pushed the captain's shirt aside to take a look at his wound. "Think you can walk?" he asked, satisfied that it was okay for him to move.

"Yeah." He slowly got to his feet. "Shit, that hurts," he said with feeling.

"Oh, quit being such a baby," Kermit teased. "I've hurt myself worse shaving."

A loud cry came from the crib, effectively cutting off any retort Paul might have made. He walked over to the bed and carefully picked up the squalling infant.

"Is it time for him to eat or something?" Kermit asked, casting an uneasy glance at the wailing baby Paul was holding. The noise was already getting on his nerves.

"No," Blaisdell replied, and thrust the kid into Kermit's arms before he could object. "He needs his diaper changed."

Kermit held the screaming baby out from his body, and suddenly sniffed the air. "Hey, wait a minute, Paul. You don't expect me to…" He stopped abruptly when he realized his protests were falling on deaf ears – Blaisdell had already left the room.

**X X X X X**

"Make sure you read them their rights," Paul said when he walked into the outer office and saw that Peter had cuffed the suspects.

"Already done, Captain," Peter replied, and looked at his foster father with concern. "You okay?"

Paul smiled. "Yeah, son, I'm fine. It's not much worse than a flesh wound."

"An ambulance is on the way," he informed him. He paused and looked at the bodies. "So is the coroner's office."

Paul nodded absently and looked around for Mary Margaret. "Where's Skalany?"

"She's outside waiting for our backup," Peter answered. He moved closer to Paul and lowered his voice. "To tell you the truth, I think she needed some air. Did they…" He shifted his feet. "Did they rape her?"

"Technically, yes," Paul said, and ran the back of his hand across his mouth. "The one who was using her as a hostage penetrated her with his fingers, but had to stop before it went any further."

Peter bit his lip. "Bastard," he growled. "I'll go talk to her."

"No, let me," Blaisdell said, and grabbed his arm before he could get too far. "I know she's your partner, but this is something we went through together. You stay here and keep an eye on our prisoners."

Peter started to argue, then reconsidered. "Okay."

As Paul made his way to the door, Victoria stepped out and blocked his path. "You'll pay for this, Captain," she warned. "Nobody does this to me and gets away with it. Nobody. By the time I get through with you, you'll wish you'd never been born."

Paul stopped and matched her glare with one of his own. "The only one who is going to be paying for anything is you. And I'll personally make sure that you do."

Victoria involuntarily shrank back from his intense gaze. Something told her not to push this man too far, but she couldn't resist one last dig. "J.D. saw you kissing Detective Skalany last night," she said with a triumphant grin. "He said the two of you couldn't keep your hands off of each other. I'll make sure the entire city knows that not only are you cheating on your wife, but that you're also sleeping with your subordinate. We'll see what that does to your spotless reputation… and to your marriage."

Paul took a step closer to her so that he was invading her personal space. "Don't threaten me, sweetheart," he said, his voice dangerously low. "You're not in my league." He maintained eye contact with her until she looked away, and then he stepped around her and headed for the exit.

"What was that about you and Skalany?" Peter asked, catching up to his father just before he reached the door.

"Nothing," Paul said. "I'll explain it to you later." He opened the door without further comment, leaving Peter to wonder just what the hell had happened between the two of them.

**X X X X X**

Paul stepped outside and noticed that sometime during their ordeal the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. It was still cold, but there was a hint of spring in the air, and several of the trees that surrounded the building were beginning to bud. He found Mary Margaret at the back of the building, just around the corner from the main entrance. He could tell she was crying from the way her shoulders were shaking.

She heard him coming and quickly wiped away her tears. "Shouldn't you be lying down until the ambulance gets here?" she asked, unable to face him.

"I wanted to make sure you were all right."

"I'm fine," she said, but much to her chagrin she started crying again.

Paul raised his hands, hesitating only slightly before he put them on her shoulders. He was relieved when she didn't pull away from his touch. "What happened in there wasn't your fault," he said. "You did everything exactly right."

She snorted. "Yeah, that's why I almost got raped."

He let out a heavy sigh. "You know the situation we were in as well as I do. They were armed, we weren't. How can you possibly blame yourself?"

"Because I'm a cop, damn it!" She jerked loose from his grasp and whirled around to face him. "I'm not supposed to let myself get into that kind of situation. I was helpless. I don't know what was more humiliating – what Crawford did to me, or the fact that you, my captain, saw me in such a vulnerable position."

"Yeah, well, I didn't do any better!" he shot back. "I was chained to a bed, forced to watch one of my officers being assaulted, and I couldn't do one damn thing about it. I don't think I've ever felt so helpless!"

His confession stunned her, and she blinked hard several times. It never occurred to her that he had felt just as powerless as she had. She couldn't think of anything else to say and, even if she could have, she was too tired to argue with him any more. Instead, she went into his arms, and let him hold her until the ambulance arrived, not realizing that she was giving him just as much comfort as he was giving her.

**Epilogue**

_Six Weeks Later_

Paul was in the process of gathering up his things to go home when a knock sounded on his door. He stopped in the middle of closing his briefcase and bit back a curse, hoping whoever it was would go away. It was finally Friday, and he and Annie had made plans to spend the weekend up at the cabin, just the two of them. He was looking forward to indulging in his two favorite pastimes – fishing and making love to his wife, and had hoped to get out of the office before anyone could catch him. No such luck. There was another knock, this one louder and more insistent than its predecessor. "Come in," he said wearily, praying that it was not some emergency that was going to keep him tied up for hours.

Mary Margaret stuck her head inside the door. She was grinning from ear to ear, oblivious to Blaisdell's annoyance over the intrusion. "Captain, there's someone here to see you."

"Detective," he said gruffly, "I have a date with my wife. Unless it's the commissioner or the mayor, find out what they want and leave a note on my desk. I'll deal with it on Monday."

"I think you'll want to make an exception for this, sir," she said. Without giving him an opportunity to object further, she opened the door and ushered in a young girl who was carrying an infant.

Blaisdell's irritation over both the interruption and Skalany's insubordination was quickly dispelled when he recognized the young woman who entered his office. His eyes immediately lit up.

"Kimberly, I'd like you to meet Captain Paul Blaisdell," Skalany said. "He's the man who helped me get your baby back."

"Hello, Captain," Kimberly said, and managed to extend one hand while keeping a tight grip on the baby with the other. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure's all mine," he replied, and firmly shook the proffered hand.

"I met Detective Skalany when she questioned me about the kidnapping," she explained, "but I never got a chance to thank you for what you did. I wanted to stop by and let you know how much I appreciate it. I know it's not much, but I don't know what else to say."

Paul smiled. "You don't have to say anything else. Seeing you reunited with your son is all the thanks we need," he said, and glanced down at the infant. "How's he doing?"

"Wonderful," she said, pride filling her eyes. "He had a check-up last week and the doctor said he was doing great."

"He sure has grown since the last time I saw him." He reached down and touched the baby's hand, and grinned when the little boy grasped his finger in return, just like he had that day at the agency.

"Would you like to hold him?" she asked when she saw the way Blaisdell was looking at her son.

"I'd love to," he said without hesitation, and accepted him into his arms with ease. He cradled the baby in his big hands, and talked softly to him until he was rewarded with a gurgle and a slobbery smile.

"I think he likes you, Captain," Skalany observed, not surprised that Blaisdell had a way with kids. She watched him play with the baby for a minute and then turned her attention to Kimberly. "What did you name him? I don't think you had decided the last time I talked to you."

"Zack," she replied. "At first I was going to name him after Jake, but it still hurts every time I hear his name. I thought it would be better if I went with something else."

"Do you have anybody to help you with him?" Paul asked, never losing eye contact with the baby, who seemed to be captivated by the captain's craggy features.

"Yes, my parents. They were pretty upset with me for getting pregnant, but after all that's happened…" She let her voice trail off.

"It does put things in perspective," Skalany said quietly. "I'm glad you all have worked things out. And always keep in mind that if you ever need anything, we'll be glad to help you in any way we can."

"Actually, there is something I wanted to ask both of you," she admitted, and looked down at her feet.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Skalany asked gently.

"I-I was wondering… Well, I thought…"

Mary Margaret glanced at Paul who appeared to be just as clueless as she was. She put a reassuring hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Just tell us," she prodded. "We'll do whatever we can to help you."

Kimberly took a deep breath. "I wanted to ask you if you would be Zack's godparents."

Mary Margaret looked questioningly at Paul, who smiled and nodded slightly. "We'd be honored," she said, genuinely touched by the request. "When's the service?"

"Next Sunday at 10:00 at St. Bartholomew's. Do you know where that is?"

"Yes, we know where it is," Blaisdell answered for both of them. "And we'll be there." He coaxed one more smile out of the baby before turning him back over to his mother.

"Great!" Kimberly said with a smile, and gathered up her things. "It's almost time for him to eat, so I have to be going. Thank you both again for what you did."

Mary Margaret gave her a hug and the baby a kiss and got the door for them. "We'll see you Sunday," she promised. She stood in the doorway and watched them until they were out of sight, and then went back into Blaisdell's office.

"Things like that make all the time and effort we put in around here worth it, doesn't it?" Paul commented, almost to himself.

"Yes, sir," Skalany replied with a wistful smile. "This has been one of those cases that has really affected me personally."

Blaisdell looked at her with a pained expression, still feeling guilty because he hadn't been able to stop J.D. from assaulting her. "You mean because of what Crawford did to you?"

"No, no," she said quickly. "I mean for the better. Even though bad things happened to both of us, a lot of good came out of it, too. Like shutting down that entire operation. And reuniting babies with their mothers." She turned and looked at her captain. "And being reminded that heroes still exist."

"I'm not a hero," Paul said sharply. "Anyone in that position would have done what I did."

"No, I don't think so," she countered. "Peter would have, and so would Jody. Maybe even Kermit. But other than that, I don't know of anyone else who would have put themselves between me and that bullet. I'll always be grateful to you for that."

"I'm just sorry I couldn't do more when…"

"Just stop right there," she said, abruptly cutting him off. "I don't blame you for what happened, and you shouldn't blame yourself, either. I know without a doubt that you did all you could do to stop Crawford." The sight of the blood running down his wrists where he had tried frantically to break loose from the handcuffs would be something she would never forget.

She pushed the memory out of her mind and took a deep breath before continuing. "In my sessions with Dr. Davis," she said, referring to the department psychologist she had been required to see after the assault, "the hardest thing for me to deal with was the fact that I was absolutely helpless during the attack. It took her a long time to convince me that there are some things that we just can't control, no matter how much we train or how much we prepare. As a cop, that was hard for me to accept, but I finally realized she was right. It was good advice – you should take it as well."

"The fact that I didn't have any control over it doesn't make it any easier to live with," Paul said bitterly. "Any time one of my officers gets hurt, I feel like I haven't done my job."

"I know, and that's what makes you such a good captain – you care so much about your people. But even you can't control everything. You've got to let it go," she said softly. She walked over to where he stood and kissed him on the cheek. "It was an honor to work with you. I hope we can do it again some day."

"So do I," he said. He shrugged into his overcoat and picked up his briefcase. "Come on, let's get out of here before Strenlich realizes we're escaping."

She chuckled. "Sounds good to me. Have a good weekend, Captain."

"I intend to," he said with a wink, and put his arm around her as he escorted her out of his office.


End file.
